y^^  OF  mNCETo^ 


^^OLOGICAL  SE>^\^ 


BV    4211     .T3 

Taylor,  William,  1821-1902 

The  model  preacher 


THE  MODEL  PREACHER: 


COMPRISED    IN 


A  SERIES  OF  LETTERS 


ILLUSTRATING 


THE  BEST  MODE  OF  PREACHING  THE  GOSPEL. 


BY 

/ 

EEV.  WILLIAM  TAAXOR, 

OF   THE   CALIFORNIA   COXFEUKNCE, 

AUTHOR    OP    "seven   years'    street    PREACniNG    IN    SAN 

FRANCISCO,"    "CALIFORNIA   LIFE    ILLUSTRATED," 

"address   to    YOUNG   AMERICA,"    ETC. 


He  that  winneth  souls  is  wise. — Solomon. 

Study  to  show  thyself  approved  unto  God,  a  workman  that  needctl 
not  to  be  ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the  word  of  truth. — St.  Paul. 


Fourteen tu    TJiousand 


C  I  N  C  I  N  N  ATI: 

PUBLISHED    BY    POE    &    HITCHCOCK 
FOR  THE  AUTHOR. 

E.     P.     THOMPSON,     PRINTER. 

1S63. 


Entered,  accor(lin>|  to  Act  of  Con;^re3s,  in  the  year  1859, 

BY  D.  L.  BOSS, 

In   the  Clerk's  Office  of  the   DLstrict  Court  for  the   Southern  Di.^tric 
of  01)  io- 


EEVMU.1A1.I  M'^KENDPEE 


X    AA  Ai  U  Ajk  U  vjc 


PREFACE 


In  writing  to  my  young  brother,  Archibald 
Taylor — who  is  a  traveling  preacher  in  Oregon — 
on  the  subject  of  the  naost  efficient  mode  of 
preaching  the  Gospel,  I  conceived  the  idea  of 
copying  and  publishing  my  letters,  for  the  benefit 
of  other  young  preachers  and  the  public  at  large. 
As  the  result  of  that  conception,  I  now  respect- 
fully submit  to  ministers  and  people  "The  Model 

Prkiciier." 

TiiE  Author. 

CrxcixNATi,  August  15,  1859, 


CONTENTS. 


LETTER    I. 

ARRESTING      ATTENTION. 

First  thing  necessary  to  effective  preaching — Every  man,  woman, 
and  child  preoccupied  —  Horses,  hogs,  and  cattle  in  church — A 
friend  trying  to  give  attention — Criticisms — Speculations — Love- 
glances — Taking  patterns,  and  pricing  goods  in  church — Boys  in 
Jones's  orchard — Jimmy  in  the  well — Gathering  in  the  wanderings 
of  their  minds — Frank  Dodge  in  church  —  Firstly  —  Secondly  — 
Thirdly  —  Benediction — Joyful  tidings  —  Little  Charlie  —  Buried 
alive  in  a  California  ranche — Took  his  lumber-yard  to  church — 
Lady  passenger — Her  troubles — The  skunk — Not  the  animal  for  the 
pulpit Pages  11-25 

LETTER    II. 

S  UR  PRISE  S. 

How  to  arrest  attention — Surprise  power  illustrated — California  con- 
ference surprised — The  dodge  of  the  dog — Dreadful  surprise  in 
Stamford,  Connecticut — Dog  diving  for  a  child — Dr.  "Wit — Sur- 
prises adapted  to  an  essential  law  of  humanity — Plays  of  chil- 
dren— Advice  of  a  minister — A  more  excellent  way — Demands  of 
this  law  illustrated — The  caged  eagle — Dignity  of  humanity — 
United  in  marriage  bonds  with  divinity  —  Orang-outang  —  Last 
words  of  Jesus — Caged  eagle  out  and  gone — Pursuit  of  happi- 
ness— How  does  txod  regard  this  law  of  our  being  ? 26-43 

LETTER    III. 

SURPRISE      POWER  —  CONTINUED. 

Surprises  of  God's  books — Nature — Providence — Inspired  word — 
How  God  makes  the  landscape — Varieties  of  nature — One  of  God's 

5 


b  CONTENTS. 

rivers — Surprise  jiower  of  the  Bible — Abraham — Joseph  in  Egypt — 
Joseph  Gennella  —  How  Bible  writers  tell  it  —  Model  of  Moses 
stolen — Forged  copy-right  of  the  devil — The  old  squatter  and  mo- 
nopolizer— Satan  professed  religion  and  remodeled  the  Church — His 
claims  to  the  best  music  ignored — His  stratagem  to  defeat  the  ends 

of  Gospel  preaching Pages  44-73 

I 

LETTER    IV. 

SURPEISES      APPROPRIATE       TO      THE       PULPIT. 

Seven  vai'ieties  inappropriate — Dow  climbing  a  sapling — Introduc- 
tion to  a  sermon  on  swearing — Egyptian  legend — Fork  for  a  pack- 
saddle — Striking  a  match — False  alarm — Bow's  colored  angel — 
llunning  on  a  rainbow  with  a  basketful  of  stars — Riding  on  a 
streak  of  lightning — The  devil's  drag-net — The  unterrified  preach- 
er— "Grasping  at  the  stars  and  sticking  in  the  mud" — Flight  to 
the  dome  of  heaven — Virgin  of  truth  murdered — Surprises  appro- 
priate to  the  pulpit — Two  varieties — Inherent  surprise  power  of 
truth — Novelty  of  a  new  Gospel — IIow  Jesus  did — Surprise  notes — 
Shadow  without  the  substance 74-92 

LETTER    V. 

THE      MODEL      PREACHER. 

A  model  preacher  by  Cox — How  the  model  preacher  did  ii — Five 
leading  characteristics  of  his  preaching 93-102 

LETTER    VI. 

CLEARNESS. 

Subject  defined  and  illustrated  —  Ministerial  duty  defined  by  St. 
Paul — Young  embassadors  in  the  wilderness — The  preacher  read- 
ing Caughey's  sermon  to  his  peojile — St.  Paul  and  the  jailer — How 
the  leper  was  cured 103-116 

LETTER     VII. 

CLEARNESS  —  CONTINUED. 

Hospital  for  the  cure  of  souls — The  greatest  practical  error  in  tho 
Church — Perplexities  of  brother  W. — IIow  to  get  out  of  the  laby- 
rinth—AValkin-  in  tho  liffht 117-123 


CONTENTS.  7 

LETTER     VIII. 

EARN  EST  X  ESS. 

Gospel  philanthropy — Man  in  Niagara— How  he  got  out — Gospel 
patriotism  —  Patriot's  creed  —  Arnold  Winkelried  —  Patriotism  of 
Jesus  —  Of  the  martyrs  —  "Baptized  for  the  dead"  —  Nathan 
Coffin — Arnold  and  Judas,  the  traitors — Drummed  out  of  camp — 
George  Washington  on  his  knees — General  Joshua — Patriots  of 
the  Revolution — Jonathan  routing  the  Philistines  —  Patriots  of 
Jesus Pages  129-149 

LETTER    IX. 

NATURALNESS. 

Subject  stated  and  illustrated — Eight  causes  of  unnaturalness  in  tho 
pulpit — Test  of  an  unnatural  style — Naturalness  of  the  model 
preacher — Variety  of  the  heart's  emotions,  and  intonations  of 
the  voice  —  "  Do  n't  spoil  the  pump  "  —  Pronunciation  —  Empha- 
sis— PvUle  for  imparting  thought  and  emotion — "  No  such  thing  as 
naturalness  " — AVhere  to  find  it — Little  orators — Dignity  of  the 
pulpit  —  Solemnity  of  the  Gospel  —  Solemn  things,  not  "big 
words"  —  The  lost  boy  —  "Lizzie  in  the  well  1"  —  Child  rescued 
from  a  burning  house — The  Shunamite's  son — President  Robin- 
son— Rev.  J.  Poisel — Lost  son  found — Terrible  railroad  accident — 
Battle  of  Solferino 150-175 

LETTER    X. 

LITER  ALNESS. 

Literal  facts  and  figures — Four-fold  end  of  literalness  stated  and  il- 
lustrated— Rule  for  selecting  illustrative  incidents — Test  by  which 
to  prove  their  power — Rule  for  limiting  their  exciting  eflTect — 
"  Shouting  over  the  wrong  heaven  " — Laughing  in  Church — A 
doctor  of  divinity  smiled  under  preaching — A  preacher  abused — ■ 
Uses  and  abuses  of  tears  and  smiles — Examples  of  laughing  in  tho 
Bible — Literalness  of  scientific  teaching 176-193 

LETTER    XI. 

A  PPROPRIATENESS. 

Subject  defined  and  illustrated — Perfect  adaptation  of  Gospel  truth 
to  humanity — Armstrong   behind   the  door — Can't   drive   souls  to 


8  CONTENTS. 

Christ — Three  rules  for  winning  souls  to  Christ — Application  of  the 
first  rule  illustrated — Points  of  agreement — Chords  and  discords — 
Leader  of  the  mob  appointed  to  keep  order — Effect  of  this  rule  at  a 
camp  meeting — How  its  opposite  worked  at  a  camp  meeting — A 
Virginia  sheriff  arrested — The  thing  that  settled  John  Carlisle — 
llow  Ben.  Currier  was  served Pages  194-212 

LETTER    XII. 

APPROPRIATENESS  —  CONTINUED. 

First  street  preaching  in  San  Francisco — The  gambler's  funeral — 
Fighting  preachers — How  to  manage  men,  dogs,  and  bulls — St. 
Paul's  example — Wesley  mobbed — Whitefield  in  Moorfields — 
Charles  Wesley — Beginning  on  the  points  of  disagreement — Its 
effects — Rarey  on  horse-taming — Effect  of  this  law  on  prisoners^ 
Two  theories  authorizing  Gospel  polemics — **  Anathema  mara- 
natha  " — Law  of  sympathy  defended — Nathan  and  David — St. 
Paul's  mode — St.  Stephen's  last  sermon 213-235 

LETTER    XIII. 

APPROPRIATENESS  —  CONTINUED. 

Three  rules  for  winning  souls  restated,  and  last  two  illustrated — 
"  The  wretched  man  " — A  variety  of  poor  comforters — Out  of  jail 
and  happy — Springs  of  Jericho  healed — "  A  good  tree  " — Discus- 
sion with  aunt  Helen — One-ideaism — Commenced  on  the  inside  of 
the  colored  brother 236-250 

LETTER    XIV. 

THE      master's      MODEL. 

Characteristics  restated  and  tested  by  the  pattern  shown  in  the 
mount — The  Gospel  arch — Examples  of  Divine  and  apostolio 
preaching — Jesus  and  the  lawyer — Peter  preaching  in  Solomon's 
porch — Peter  and  John  before  the  council — Apostolic  prayer  meet- 
ing— Dr.  Luke's  revival  notice — Brother  Ratcliff — Wide  applica- 
tion and  definite  results  of  ''  the  model  "—Examples  of  its  effi- 
ciency—Whitefield,  Wesley,  Summerfield,  Spurgcon,  Caughey, 
Beecher,  J.  B.  Gough— The  model  not  confined  to  the  pulpit— How 
the  infidel  was  led  to  Christ— How  "  Bud  Thomas  "  fixed  the  law- 
yer— Three    deductions 251-274 


CONTENTS.  9 

LETTER    XV. 

PULPIT       O  n  A  T  0  K  S . 

L)iu  they  conform  to  the  Master's  model  ? — Chrysostom — Specimen  of 
his  preaching — Bishop  Latimer — Ilis  "sermon  of  the  plow  " — 
Chillingworth — The  "  form  of  godliness  without  its  power  " — John 
Bunyan — Sermon*' on  the  barren  fig-tree" — George  Whitefield — 
Specimens  of  his  preaching — Christmas  Evans  on  '*  the  fall  and 
recovery  of  man  " — Spurgeon's  preaching — Caughey  on  "  the 
omnipotence  of  faith" Pages  275-372 

LETTER    XVI. 

PUT,  PIT       ORATORS COXTINUED. 

The  degree  of  their  conformity  to  the  model  of  the  great  Teacher — 
Chalmers — British  Standard  on  extempore  preaching — Our  fathers 
in  the  Gospel  compared  with  their  sons — Jonathan  Edwards — 
Jesse  Lee — Dr.  Fisk — Cookman — Dr.  Olin — Bishop  M'Kendree — 
Wm.  B.  Christie — Russel  Bigelow — John  Strange — John  Collins — 
Valentine  Cook — Dr.  Durbin — Bishop  Simpson — Mighty  men  of 
'*  one  talent" 373-384 

LETTER    XVII. 

MISCELLANEOUS      SUGGESTIONS. 

Pulpit  encyclopedias — Reading  sermons — Plagiarism — The  man  who 
stole  a  sermon — Mixing  with  politics — How  to  treat  the  body — 
Physical  "  preparation  for  the  Sabbath  " — Attitude  in  prayer — 
How  to  speak  with  ease — "  Blue  Monday" — Stimulants — Various 
kinds — Recipe  for  wholesome  stimulus — Long  sermons — Sir 
John  Scarlett — Exordiums — Virgin  gold  from  the  mines 385-403 


THE  MODEL  PREACHER 


LETTER  I. 

ARRESTING    ATTENTION. 

My  Dear  Brother, — To  preach  the  Gospel  effect- 
ively, you  must  first  arrest  the  attention  of  your 
hearers.  The  mind  of  every  man,  woman,  or  child 
you  meet  in  the  country  or  in  the  city  is  preoccupied, 
either  revolving  some  theme,  or,  more  probably,  in- 
dulging a  reverie. 

The  same  is  true,  also,  of  every  person  who  comes 
to  hear  you  preach.  Every  memory  and  imagination 
constitute  the  scene  of  a  vast  panoramic  display  of 
images  and  associations  as  -wide  as  the  world.  If, 
like  the  prophet  Ezekiel  in  the  ancient  temple  of  Is- 
rael, you  could  "  dig  a  hole  through  the  wall,''  and 
look  into  the  secret  chambers  of  the  souls  of  your 
hearers,  you  would  see,  right  there  in  the  Lord's 
house,  farms  and  farming  implements;  horses,  hogs, 
and  cattle;  lumber  yards  and  merchandise  of  every 
kind;  railroads  and  canals;  bank  stocks;  commercial 
contracts ;  deeds  and  bonds ;  houses  of  every  style  of 
architecture,  household  furniture,  and  instruments  of 
music;  an  association  of  old  friends  and  new  ones,  en- 
gaged in  public  discussions  and  private  confabs  on  all 


12  THE    MODEL     PREACHER. 

the  exciting  subjects  of  the  times.  In  many  minds 
you  would  see  a  train  of  gloomy  associations — mis- 
takes, forgets,  mishaps,  and  wrongs  unredressed. 
All  these  images,  and  a  thousand  more,  preoccupy 
the  minds  of  your  hearers,  and  hold  their  prooccu- 
pancy,  passing  in  and  out  in  almost  endless  succes- 
sion and  variety. 

Now,  sir,  it  avails  nothing  for  you  to  arise  before 
such  an  assembly  and  say,  "Please  to  give  me  your 
attention.^'  They  can't  do  it.  Not  one  in  a  thousand 
has  suflBcient  mental  discipline  to  give  you  undivided 
attention,  till  you  arrest  it  by  some  power  stronger 
than  the  sparkling  reverie  tide  which  bears  him  along 
so  gently,  as  scarcely  to  awake  his  consciousness  of 
the  fact.  High  intellectual  development  and  piety 
on  the  part  of  your  hearers,  do  not  enable  them  to 
give  you  their  attention  unless  you  arrest  it. 

Your  friend  selects  a  good  position  in  the  audience 
room,  from  which  he  can  see  every  gesture  and  catch 
every  flash  of  your  eye,  determining  to  give  you  un- 
divided attention.  Just  as  he  gets  himself  well  fixed 
for  receiving  and  digesting  every  word  of  truth  you 
may  dispense,  his  attention  is  arrested  by  the  open- 
ing of  the  door  behind  him;  he  involuntarily  turns 
his  head  toward  the  fellow-worshiper,  as  he  Avalks  up 
the  aisle  looking  for  a  seat,  and  says  to  himself: 
"That  man  looks  very  much  like  an  old  friend  of 
mine — my  old  friend.  He  went  to  Chicago  and 
bought  land — increased  in  value — sold  it  for  one  thou- 
sand dollars  per  acre — went  to  California — wrought  in 


ARRESTING    ATTENTION.  13 

the  mines — made  a  pile — went  to  trading  and  lost 
it — made  another  raise  and  went  to  Oregon — was  in 
the  Indian  wars  there — came  very  near  losing  his 
life — went  to  Australia — was  shipwrecked  on  his  voy- 
age, and  came  very  near  going  under.  I  wish  I  could 
hear  what  has  become  of  him.  Fudge !  What  am  I 
thinking  about?     I've  lost  a  part  of  the  sermon." 

He  then  tries  to  gather  up  and  connect  the  loose 
ends  of  the  chain  of  your  discourse,  riven  and  cast 
out  of  his  mind  by  the  ghostly  image  of  his  old 
friend,  and  now  he  is  intent  on  hearing  you  through 
without  interruption.  Eyes  and  ears  open,  sir,  to  re- 
ceive some  stirring  truth  that  will  wake  the  sympa- 
thies of  his  soul.  Following  along  in  the  path  you 
have  marked  out  for  his  thoughts,  he  hears  you  say: 
"  Some  fastidious  persons  are  like  the  old  Pharisees, 
of  whom  our  blessed  Savior  said,  *Ye  strain  at  a 
gnat  and  swallow  a  camel.' " 

"Yes,"  says  he  to  himself,  "the  boys  at  school 
used  to  read  it,  *  Strain  at  a  gate  and  swallow  a  saw- 
mill.' A  great  set  of  boys !  Bill  Moore  married  his 
cousin.  Bart  got  drowned,  poor  fellow !  Andy  Sni- 
der went  to  Shenandoah  and  learned  the  blacksmith 
trade.  Bob  M'Cown  is  a  poor  old  bachelor,"  etc. 
He  chases  those  boys  nearly  all  over  creation  before 
he  wakes  up,  arrests  his  reverie,  and  comes  back  to 
the  subject  of  discourse.  Now,  sir,  he's  your  friend, 
and  doing  his  best  to  give  you  his  attention. 

Around  him  are  others  who  don't  care  much 
whether  they  hear  you  or  not.     There  sits  the  archi- 


14  THE    MODEL    PKEACHER. 

tect  criticising,  not  your  sermon,  but  the  style  of 
your  clmrch. 

In  the  next  seat  is  the  physiognomist,  scanning  the 
faces  of  his  neighbors,  and  by  his  side  the  phrenolo- 
gist, counting  the  bumps  on  their  heads. 

Further  back  is  the  young  lover,  casting  his  glances 
toward  the  other  side  of  the  church. 

Up  in  the  amen  corner  sit  the  good  old  fathers, 
looking  up  at  you  with  longing  eyes  and  thirsty  souls, 
thinking  about  the  good  times  they  had,  long  ago, 
when  old  father  Miller  traveled  the  circuit. 

The  good  sisters  on  the  other  side  are  as  variously 
and  fully  engaged;  sovcig  examining  bonnets  and 
ribbons,  some  taking  patterns  of  the  new  style  of 
dress,  some  pricing  goods. 

The  mother  imagines  she  sees  her  boys  in  neighbor 
Jones's  orchard  stealing'  apples,  which  excites  her 
holy  horror ;  another  just  remembers  that  she  forgot 
to  return  the  clothes-line  she  borrowed  last  week,  and 
regrets  it. 

Another  wonders  if  poor  little  Jimmy  niight  n't 
get  into  the  well  before  she  gets  back;  another  is 
wondering  who  did  up  your  linen,  saying  to  herself, 
"It's  a  pity  our  preacher  can't  find  somebody  who 
can  do  up  a  bosom  for  him." 

Others  are  praying,  and  trying  to  get  their  "spir- 
itual strength  renewed,"  but  in  spite  of  their  efforts 
to  "  gather  in  the  wanderings  of  their  minds,"  and  to 
have  their  souls  watered  under  the  "droppings  of  tho 
sanctuary,"  their  roving  thoughts  will  run  to  and  fro 


ARRESTING     ATTENTION.  15 

in  the  earth,  while  you  are  proclaiming  the  tidings  of 
mercy  to  guilty  souls. 

They  are  there  to  hear  the  tidings,  and  waiting  to 
be  arrested  and  interested.  Some,  to  be  sure,  care 
not  for  you  nor  your  message,  but  you  have  them 
within  range  of  your  Gospel  gun,  and  ought  to 
draw  a  bead  on  them  and  fetch  them  down,  as  Daniel 
Boone  did  his  coon. 

Frank  Dodge  once  said  in  my  hearing:  "The  best 
time  I  can  get  for  maturing  a  commercial  scheme,  or 
planning  a  sea  voyage,  is  at  church  while  the  preacher 
is  preaching.  Away  from  the  care  and  bustle  of 
business,  under  the  soothing  sounds  of  the  Gospel,  I 
have  nothing  to  disturb  my  meditations." 

Now,  my  brother,  don't  suppose  that  these  cases  of 
inattention  I  have  enumerated  are  rare  cases.  I  have 
only  given  you  a  glimpse  at  the  mental  workings,  or 
rather  wanderings  of  evety  congregation  you  address, 
and  of  every  congregation  that  assembles  any  where, 
till  their  attention  is  arrested.  Not  all  indulging 
in  "vain  thoughts,"  to  be  sure,  for  many  are  think- 
ing of  God,  and  in  "his  law  do  they  meditate  day 
and  night."  All  occupied  with  their  own  favorite 
themes  and  thoughts,  but  none  closely  following 
the  train  of  your  thoughts,  till  you  take  them  captive 
and  draw  them  after  you  by  the  power  of  truth 
and  sympathy. 

You  have  no  right  to  complain  of  their  inattention, 
and  it  will  do  no  good  to  scold  them  about  it.  It 
is  your  business  to  arrest  them,  knock  their  thouglits 


Ig  THE    MODEL    T  R  E  A  C  II  E  R  . 

and  reveries  into  pi,  and  sweeping  them  away,  in- 
sert your  theme  in  tlicir  minds  and  hearts.  To  do 
this,  you  must  wake  them  up,  stir  the  sympathies 
of  their  souls,  and  thrill  them,  by  all  sorts  of 
unanticipated  means,  with  the  joyful  tidings  of  sov- 
ereign mercy,  or  the  thundering  peals  of  coming 
retribution. 

Do  you  imagine,  my  brother,  that  any  common- 
place performance  will  effect  all  this?  Just  try 
your  hand  and  see.  Select  a  good  text — give  to 
your  audience,  by  way  of  introduction,  a  brief  his- 
tory of  the  author,  and  the  circumstances  under 
which  he  wrote  it.  Then  tell  them  how  you  are 
going  to  treat  the  subject.  Announce  your  divi- 
sions in  advance,  I,  II,  III,  and  TV,  State  your 
subdivisions  and  propositions,  and  argue  them  out 
by  a  process  of  abstract  reasoning ;  prove  your  po- 
sitions by  judicious  selections  from  the  Scriptures, 
"  as  saith  the  prophet,"  or  as  "  the  apostle  says." 
Let  the  people  see  that  you  are  not  a  mere  talker, 
but  a  first-class  sermonizer.  You  will  thus  com- 
mand their  respect  and  confidence  as  a  theologian. 
An  occasional  quotation  from  "  Young's  Night 
Thoughts,"  or  "  Pollok's  Course  of  Time,"  will  add 
interest  and  beauty  to  your  sermon.  Do  n't  waste 
the  precious  time  necessary  to  bring  out  the  logical 
deductions  of  your  propositions  in  telling  anecdotes. 
That  would  lower  your  ministerial  dignity.  Do  n't 
descend  to  personalities  in  your  delineations  of  char- 
acter,  for    some    of   your    hearers    will   think   you 


ARRESTING    ATTENTION.  '      17 

designed  it  for  them,  and  mil  take  offense.  When 
through  with  your  general  divisions,  and  their  ap- 
propriate subdivisions,  then  give  a  brief  synopsis 
of  the  whole,  and  close  with  three  or  four  addi- 
tional divisions,  by  way  of  application. 

Peep  into  the  pulpit  encyclopedias  of  this  en- 
lightened age,  and  see  if  the  model  I  have  given 
you  an't  according  to  Gunter.  Follow  it  as  closely 
as  possible,  and  I'll  warrant  your  congregation  a 
good  time  for  an  undisturbed  reverie,  or  any  men- 
tal speculation  into  which  their  desires  and  habits 
may  lead  them;  or  a  nap  of  sleep,  according  to 
their  taste,  till  arrested  by  the  joyful  sound  of 
"receive  the  benediction,"  and  then  they'll  feel  as 
did  my  little  Charlie  on  one  occasion.  I  was  lead- 
ing my  little  boy  through  the  wild-wood,  one  bright 
spring  morning,  and  said  to  him,  "Charlie,  wouldn't 
you  like  to  kneel  down  with  pa  in  this  pretty  grove, 
and  pray?" 

"Yes,  sir!     Hero's  a  good  place,   pa." 

When  I  got  through  with  my  devotions,  I  said 
to   him,    "  Charlie,   have  you  prayed   any  ?" 

"  No,  sir ;  but  I  kneeled  down  all  the  time." 

"l)on't  you  want  to   pray?" 

"  Yes,  sir ;  won't  you  tell   me  how  to  pray,  pa  ?" 

"Yes,  my  dear  boy,  the  Lord  is  listening,  and 
I'll  tell  you   what  to   say  to   him." 

The  little  fellovr  then  repeated  after  me  a  prayer, 

adapted    to    his    years,    with    great   seriousness,   till 

we  came  to  that  solemn  word,  Amen,  which  he  nro- 
2 


;18  THE    MODEL    PEEACHER. 

iiounced  as  tiie  first  of  a  list  of  about  ten  other 
words  in  a  single  breath ;  in  the  mean  time  spring- 
ing to  his  feet,  and  running  a  rod  after  his  dog: 
''Amen,  there's  my  hat?  here  Trip,  here  Trip, 
here  Trip,"  and  away  he  ran,  in  a  chase  after  his 
little   dog. 

Before  you  have  reached  the  closing  amen  of 
your  benediction,  half  the  men  in  the  house  have 
seized  their  hats,  and  stand  ready  for  a  move  in 
double  quick  time  toward  the  roast  turkey,  or  other 
welcome  sights  aAvaiting  them  in  the  wide  world 
without.  As  they  press  their  way  along  the  side- 
walk, you  may  overhear  the  question,  "  Well,  broth- 
er, how  did  you  like  the  sermon  to-day?"  "  0, 
very  well.  It  was  a  good,  sound,  doctrinal  sermon. 
Brother  Taylor  is  a  good  preacher."  "Yes,  an  ex- 
cellent sermonizer." 

I  have  tried  in  a  variety  of  ways  fully  to  know 
the  difficult,  but  important  task  of  arresting  atten- 
tion. 

I  remember  once,  w^hen  collecting  money  for  the 
erection  of  a  church,  I  called  on  a  gentleman,  and 
to  arrest  his  attention  to  the  important  object  of 
my  call,  I  took  him  by  the  arm,  sayir;^;  ''  See  hero, 
my  dear  friend,  I  am  engaged  in  building  a  church 
in  the  southern  part  of  the  city.  There  is  no  church 
in  all  that  region ;  and  you  are  fully  aware,  doubt- 
less, of  the  importance  of  having  one  there.  You 
are  largely  interested  in  real  estate  in  that  part  of 
the   city,  I  learn,   and   you    are   no   doubt   as   anx- 


ARRESTING    ATTENTION.  19 

ions  as  any  one  to  liavo  the  right  class  of  per- 
sons to  settle  there  and  build  up  good  society,  which 
you  know  is  out  of  the  question  without  the  at- 
traction of  a  good  church.  I  think  it  would  be  a 
good  investment  for  you  to  give  to  my  cause  five 
hundred  dollars."  The  man  looked  at  me  with  such 
apparent  earnestness  that  I  said  to  myself,  "Ah,  I've 
got  him ;  he  '11  give  me  a  couple  of  .hundred  any  how." 
But,  when  I  closed  my  speech,  he  said,  "  What  is  it  you 
want  the  money  for,  sir?"  My  speech  had  gone  for 
nothing.  The  man  was  away  from  home ;  I  had 
failed  to  wake  him  up.  He  had  simply  got  an  im- 
pression, by  some  means,  that  I  wanted  to  bore  him 
for  money. 

This  absent-mindedness,  or  preoccupancy  of  the 
mind,  to  which  all  are  subject,  often  leads  to  an  entire 
misapprehension  of  what  you  say  in  the  pulpit  and 
out  of  it.  And  hence  the  misstatement  of  facts  which 
often  occurs. 

In  crossing  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  on  one  occa- 
sion, I  saw  an  old  lady  with  a  very  sad  countenance. 
Her  sorrowful  appearance  excited  my  sympathy, 
and  led  me  to  say  to  myself,  "  Poor  old  lady !  I 
wonder  if  her  name  is  written  in  the  Book  of  life." 
"Dear  old  mother,  she'll  soon  be  in  her  grave, 
and  I  'm  afraid  she  is  not  ready."  I  took  a 
Beat  by  her  side,  and  after  a  few  kind  inquiries 
about  her  health  and  well-being,  drew  her  out  into 
a  free  and  familiar  conversation.  She  told  me 
the  sad  tale  of   her  sorrows.     Said  she,  "  I  bought 


20  THE    MODEL    PHEACIIER. 

a  ranch  ovei-  the  Bnj,  raid  paid  my  money  for  it,  and 
have  spent  a  great  deal  of  money  in  improving  it,  and 
thought  I  had  a  good  quiet  home  where  I  might  spend 
my  days  in  peace.  But  I  learn  that  the  Peralto  title 
has  been  confirmed.  My  title  is  not  the  Peralto  title, 
and  I  'm  afraid  I  shall  lose  my  place,  and  all  the  monc}'' 
I  have  spent  on  it,  and  I  do  n't  know  what  I  shall  do." 

I  sympathized  with  her  most  sincerely,  and  tried 
to  comfort  with  the  hope  that  if  her  title  was  found 
invalid,  that  having  bought  in  good  faith,  I  thought 
she  could  at  least  compromise  with  Peralto,  so  as  to 
get  pay  for  her  improvements. 

I  then  tried  to  direct  her  attention  to  the  more 
important  interests  of  her  soul,  saying, ''Mother,  it  is 
very  hard  that  you  should  lose  your  ranch,  but  it  is 
your  privilege  to  obtain  a  sure  title  to  a  much  better 
place,  an  inheritance  in  heaven.  I  hope  you  will  sec 
well  to  that." 

"I  thought  I  did  see  well  to  it,"  she  replied;  ''I 
had  the  title  examined  by  a  lawyer  v/ho  I  thought 
ought  to  know  all  about  it.  It  seemed  to  be  a  sure 
title,  and  I  paid  my  money  for  it ;  but  now  it  seems 
to  be  good  for  nothing,  and  my  money  is  gone." 

I  saw  at  once  that  I  had  overshot  the  mark — had 
missed  her  entirely.  After  a  little  talk  further  about 
the  ranch,  I  tried  again  to  arrest  her  soul,  which  1 
found  was  not  only  "  cleaving  to  the  dust,"  as  says 
the  Psalmist,  but  buried  up  in  a  California  ranch, 
expecting  to  be  dug  out  by  a  hated  old  Spaniard  who 
held  the  adverse  title. 


ARRESTING    ATTENTION.  21 

"Mother,"  said  I,  "it  will  grieve  me  mucL  to  hear 
of  your  losing  your  place,  but  jou  are  now  far  ad- 
vanced in  life.  Your  gray  hairs  and  trembling  limbs 
indicate  to  me  that  you  are  near  the  grave.  You  have 
but  a  few  years  at  most  to  live  on  your  place,  if  you 
succeed  in  holding  it;  and  then,  if  you  have  no  title 
to  a  home  in  heaven,  what  will  you  do  ?  It  is  bad 
enough  to  lose  your  money,  but  it  will  be  ten  thou- 
sand fold  worse  to  lose  your  soul.  I  hope  now,  my 
dear  mother,  that  you  will  seek  Jesus,  and  obtain  the 
remission  of  your  sins,  and  a  sure  title  to  heaven — a 
warrantee  deed  to  an  inheritance  incorruptible,  unde- 
filed,  and  that  fadeth  not  away." 

She  looked  very  serious,  and  seemed  to  be  ponder- 
ing the  weighty  considerations  I  had  pressed  upon 
her  attention,  when,  after  a  moment's  pause,  she 
replied,  "Well,  I  do  n't  know  about  it.  I've  heard  of 
those  warrantee  deeds,  but  I  do  n't  believe  they  are 
good  for  any  thing  in  California.  I  believe  the  Span- 
ish grants  just  about  cover  the  whole  country,  all  at 
least  that  is  worth  any  thing."  Failed  again.  There 
was  such  an  attraction  of  gravitation  chaining  her 
soul,  that  I  could  not  arrest  her  attention  with  any 
thing  higher  than  a  ranch. 

I  have  often  met  with  similar  cases — persons  w^hose 
minds  were  so  enervated  and  corroded  by  some  mis- 
fortune, real  or  imaginary,  that  I  could  not  approach 
them  from  any  point,  or  with  any  subject,  with- 
out seeming  to  wake  up  all  the  melancholy  ghost? 
which  had  haunted  them  during  the   storm  of  theii 


22  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

misfortunes ;  and  yet  tlicj  Avcrc  sensible,  and  hos- 
pitable, and  able  to  attend  to  all  the  ordinary  duties 
of  life. 

A  good  Christian  brother  in  Evansville,  Indiana, 
told  me  the  other  day,  that  while  engaged  in  the  lum- 
ber business  in  Louisville,  Kentucky,  a  few  years 
ago,  his  business  at  one  time  became  a  little  tangled 
and  complicated ;  and,  on  Sabbath  morning,  when  he 
w^as  trying  to  commune  with  God,  his  mind  was  so 
filled  with  rafts  of  logs  and  lumber,  that  he  left  homo, 
and  went  across  to  New  Albany,  to  spend  the  Sab- 
bath, just  to  try  to  get  his  mind  loose  from  the  ha- 
rassing cares  and  incumbrances  that  crov/ded  and 
fettered  his  soul.  Said  he,  "My  rafts  and  lumber 
yard  and  account  books  followed  me  across  the  Ohio, 
and  through  the  streets  of  New  Albany,  and  into  the 
house  of  the  Lord ;  and  I  could  not  cut  myself  loose 
from  them  till  the  preacher,  a  messenger  from  God  to 
my  soul,  arrested  my  attention,  and  broke  the  spell. 
The  Lord  abundantly  blessed  my  soul  that  day,  and 
I  returned  home  rejoicing." 

0  how  many  struggles  with  worldly  thoughts  and 
associations  I  have  had,  and  have  often  longed  for  the 
preacher  to  help  me  wake  my  soul,  and  bring  it  up  by 
the  grace  of  Jesus  to  a  higher  and  holier  atmosphere! 
Mere  abstract  reasoning,  however  sound  and  logical, 
won't  do  it.  A  commonplace  statementary  sermon, 
however  orthodox,  won't  raise  a  ripple,  much  less  stir 
the  hidden  depths  of  the  soul. 

Some  months  ago,  traveling  in  a  stage-coach  to  a 


ARRESTING    ATTENTION.  23 

session  of  the  Erie  conference  in  Mcadville,  Peiin.,  we 
stopped  about  day-dawn  and  took  a  ladj  passenger 
aboard.  She  had  a  child  in  her  arms,  and  was  accom- 
panied by  a  little  girl.  As  she  entered  the  coach  1 
heard  her  say  in  a  complaining  tone,  "I  don't  like 
this  way  of  jumping  up  before  day^  and  starting  off 
without  my  breakfast."  I  saw  that  her  spirit  was 
troubled,  and  thought  I  would  try  to  compose  and 
cheer  her,  if  opportunity  offered  for  an  acquaint- 
ance, for  she  was  a  very  nice-looking  lady.  Soon  as 
she  got  seated,  and  the  stage  started  off,  she  said  to 
the  little  girl,  "There  now,  Gertrude,  we  forgot  the 
baby's  vail.  Poor  little  thing,  it  will  take  its  death 
of  cold. 

"  I  must  have  these  curtains  down." 

"If  you  please,  madam,"  I  remarked,  "I  will  but- 
ton them  down  for  you." 

"  Thank  you,  sir." 

"  This  is  quite  a  cold  morning  for  July,"  said  I. 

"Yes,  sir,  quite  cold;  I  fear  my  poor  babe  will  be 
sick  from  going  out  so  early. 

"Gertrude,  did  you  bring  the  baby's  cordial?" 

"  Yes,  ma'am." 

"Rough  traveling  over  these  hills,  madam,"  said  I. 

"  Yes,  sir,  pretty  rough." 

"Look  out  there,  Gertrude,  you'll  let  that  phial 
fall,  and  spill  that  medicine." 

"HoAv  far  is  it,  madam,  to  Meadville?"  I  inquired; 
not  that  I  cared,  but  I  wanted  to  get  her  attention 
from  her  corrodina;  cares. 


24  THE    MODEL    rREACHEH.- 

"  I  believe  they  call  it  eleven  miles,"  she  replied. 

"There  now,  Gertrude,  we  forgot  that  oil  and  the 
brushes.     Why  did  n't  you  think  of  that  ?" 

"  Well,  I  forgot,"  said  Gerty. 

"That's  a  very  nice  little  baby,  ma'am,  I  said." 
"He  has  his  mother's  eyes,  hasn't  he?" 

She  smiled,  as  she  remarked,  "It  is  a  very  good 
baby;"  and  thought  I,  "By  that  hook  I  can  fetch 
her  mind  up  from  the  gloomy  channels  in  which  it 
has  been  flowing  this  morning."  But  I  failed  on  that 
as  I  had  done  before. 

"  Gerty,"  said  she,  "  did  you  find  the  key  of  the 
cellar  door  yesterday  evening?" 

"Yes,  ma'am." 

"  Did  you  lock  the  door?" 

"Yes,  ma'am." 

"Have  you  had  a  visitation  of  the  prevailing  revi- 
val spirit  of  the  times  in  this  region,  this  season  ?" 

"Yes,  sir,"  she  replied,  "  a  great  many  have  joined 
Church  during  the  past  winter." 

"  There  now,  Gertrude,  upon  my  word,  wo  forgot 
to  return  Mrs.  Johnson's  irons.  What  will  that  wo- 
man think  of  us?  We  promised  to  return  her  irons 
yesterday,  and  now  we  have  come  oft,  and  left  them 
locked  up  in  the  house.  I  wish  you  had  thought  of 
that ;  you  knew  I  had  so  much  on  my  mind  I  couldn't 
think  of  every  thing. 

"Driver,  when  does  the  stage  return?" 

"It  leaves  Meadville  this  evening  at  six  o'clock, 
ma'am."     "Well,  I  must  write  a  letter,  and  send  it 


ARRESTING    ATTENTION.  25 

down   this  evening,  and  have    Mrs.  Johnson's   irons 
sent  home." 

I  thought  to  myself,  '-  Martha,  Martha,  thou  art 
careful  about  many  things."  Just  so  with  nearly  all 
who  come  to  hear  me  preach.  They  treat  me  respect- 
fully, hear  my  words ;  but  how  shall  I  so  arrest  them 
as  to  bring  up  their  thoughts  and  feelings  from  the 
low  channels  of  worldly  association,  in  which  they 
flow  as  naturally,  and  almost  as  irresistibly  downward, 
as  do  the  mountain  rills  that  sparkle,  and  ripple,  and 
leap  in  their  onward  course  toward  the  vales  beneath? 
While  I  was  stud3ung  some  plan  to  arrest  the  atten- 
tion of  the  good  sister  by  my  side,  my  eye  caught 
a  view  of  a  celebrated  animal  by  the  road-side. 

"  Did  you  ever  see  a  polecat,  madam — a  skunk  ? 
look  there  !"  She  instantly  put  her  head  out,  where 
she  could  get  a  good  view  of  the  "  Americana  Me- 
phitic."  A  boy  was  in  pursuit  with  a  stone  in  his 
hand,  to  "  engage  in  a  very  unequal  contest  with  his 
skunkship."  My  lady  passenger  laughed  immoder- 
ately, and  I  heard  no  more  of  her  regrets  or  com- 
plaining. From  that  on  to  the  end  of  our  journey, 
she  was  one  of  the  most  pleasant,  cheerful  ladies  I  had 
met  in  a  month.  "  Well,"  thought  I,  "  it  would  not  do 
to  introduce  such  animals  as  that  into  the  pulpit,  but 
we  must  have  something  that  will  surprise  and  wake 
up  the  people,  or  fail  to  arrest  their  attention." 

3 


2d  THE     MODEL     PRE  AC  HER 


LETTER    II. 

SURPRISES. 

My  Dear  Brother, — Settle  it  in  your  mind  that 
you  Avill  arrest  the  attention  of  3^our  hearers.  It  is 
hardly  possible  to  do  that  to  a  degree  necessary  to 
good  effect,  -svithout  exciting  feeling — waking  up  the 
emotions  of  the  soul.  Commonplace  statements,  as 
I  have  shown,  and  modes  which  chime  in  with  the  an- 
ticipations of  your  hearers,  however  excellent  in 
themselves,  will  not  stir  the  heart's  emotions.  It  is 
not  my  purpose  to  give  you  a  formal  essay  on  rhet- 
oric or  elocution,  nor  to  speak  here  of  all  the  various 
appliances  of  power  which  the  orator  may  use  in 
moving  the  masses.  But,  I  wish,  in  this  letter,  to 
illustrate  what  may  be  termed  the  lever  power  of  the 
orator — the  power  of  sudden  surprises.  Many  of  my 
illustrations  in  this  case  are  not  such  as  I  use  in  the 
pulpit,  by  any  means,  but  such  as  I  think,  in  familiar 
correspondence,  will  best  illustrate  my  subject;  and 
when  you  thus  become  well  acquainted  with  the  prin- 
ciple, you  can  apply  it  as  occasion  may  require. 

A  sudden  surprise  will  alwa^^s  excite  feeling — emo- 
tion pleasant  or  sorrowful,  varying  in  degree  and  kind 
according  to  the  nature  of  the  surprise  itself.  The 
sudden  flutter  of  a  bird,  tlic  bound  of  the  hare,  the 
cracking  of  a  falling  limb  in  the  grove,  the  scream  of 


SURPRISES.  27 

a  child  in  the  wild-wood ;  any  thing,  however  insignif- 
icant in  itself,  producing  a  sudden  surprise,  must,  in 
the  same  deo-ree,  excite  feelino;  and  arrest  attention. 

The  surprise  power  of  sudden  transitions  of  thought 
from  the  point  anticipated  by  the  hearer,  to  another 
point  remote  but  apposite,  is  a  lever  by  which  the 
masses  are  often  moved. 

On  one  occasion,  when  the  question  of  granting 
transfers  to  missionaries,  who  had  left,  or  should 
leave,  their  work  in  California,  w^as  being  discussed 
before  the  conference,  a  brother,  in  an  animated 
speech,  having  spoken  of  the  distance  we  had  come 
to  save  souls  on  the  shores  of  the  Pacific,  and  the  pri- 
vations and  difficulties  to  be  endured,  said:  "We  did 
not  come  to  California,  my  brethren,  to 
'  Lie  on  flowery  beds  of  ease,' 
and  eat  cJiickens."  We  were  all  expecting  him,  in 
his  high  declamatory  style,  to  quote  the  rest  of  the 
verse : 

"  While  others  fought  to  win  the  prize, 
And  sailed  through  bloody  seas." 

But  the  sudden  transition — dropping  down  from  the 
grand  conception  of  fields  of  carnage  and  seas  of 
blood,  to  the  chicken-eating  propensities  with  which 
ministers  are  often  charged,  produced  a  surprise  that 
upset  the  gravity  of  the  v/hole  conference,  and  carried 
the  bishop  with  all  the  rest. 

I  mention  this,  not  for  any  intrinsic  value  contained 
in  the  thing  itself,  but  simply  to  illustrate  my  point. 
A  lucifer  match  is  a  very  little  thing,  but  it  contains 


28  THE     MODEL     PllEACHER. 

the   po^^-er   ^vliicli,  if  applied   to   the   magazine,  -will 
blow  up  the  ship. 

Tivpper  illustrates  the  wonderful  effects  resulting, 
sometimes,  from  very  insignificant  occasions,  thus : 

•'A  child  touched  a  spring  ; 
The  spring  closed  a  valve  ; 
The  laboring  engine  burst. 
A  thousand  lives  were  in  that  ship, 
Wrecked  by  an  infant's  finger." 

Aboard  the  steamship  George  Law — afterward 
called  the  Central  America,  in  the  wreck  of  which 
so  many  lives  were  lost — in  which  I  came  from  As- 
pinwall  to  New  York  on  my  return  from  California, 
was  a  lady  passenger,  who  had  for  a  traveling  com- 
panion a  small  grayhound. 

The  dog  occupied  a  place  in  her  state-room,  and 
was  her  almost  constant  attendant,  in  doors  and  out. 

One  day  I  saw  one  of  the  waiters  leading  the  dog 
in  from  the  deck  to  his  state-room.  Opening  the 
state-room  door,  the  dog  seeming  anxious  to  go  in,  he 
let  him  go.  The  dog  made  a  sudden  bound  to  his 
state-room  door,  but,  by  design,  alighted  just  past  the 
door  on  the  outside,  and  ran  for  the  deck  as  fast  as 
he  could  go.  Now,  there  is  nothing  remarkable  in 
this,  except  the  dodge  of  the  dog,  which  produced  a  sud- 
den surprise  that  tapped  the  fountains  of  emotion  ii\ 
the  bosom  of  every  witness,  causing  a  roar  of  laughter. 

John  Philpot  Curran,  a  celebrated  Irish  advocate, 
used  to  plead  before  a  certain  judge,  who  was  con- 
sto.ntly  in  the  habit  of  anticipating  the  point  which 


SURPRISES.  29 

the  advocate  was  making,  and  of  cutting  off  the 
speech  by  announcing  the  point  before  the  speaker 
could  reach  it.  Carran  became  so  annoyed  with  it, 
that  he  determined  to  retaliate  on  his  lordship.  So, 
one  day,  on  a  festal  occasion,  at  which  the  judge  and 
Curran  were  both  invited  guests,  the  latter  was  late, 
and  the  company,  after  waiting  awhile  for  him,  sat 
down  to  dinner  without  him.  Curran  soon  after  made 
his  appearance,  panting  as  though  he  w^as  almost  out 
of  breath. 

"  Mr.  Curran,"  cried  the  judge,  "  what  upon  earth 
is  the  matter  with  you?" 

"Please  your  lordship,"  answered  C,  "I've  just 
witnessed  a  tragedy  that  thrills  me  with  horror." 

"Pray  tell  us,  what  is  it?  what  is  it?" 

"Well,  your  lordship,"  said  Curran,  "as  I  was 
passing  the  shambles,  a  few  minutes  ago,  I  saw  the 
butcher  come  ou^  with  a  long  knife  in  his  hand,  and 
he  seized  a  calf,  and  just  as  he  drew  his  knife  to  stick 
it  his  little  child  ran  along" —  "And  he  stuck  the 
child,"  cried  the  judge.  "No,  your  lordship,"  an- 
swered Curran,  "you  are  always  anticipating  the 
point,  but  you  do  n't  always  hit  it.  It  was  the  calf 
he  stuck,  sir."  The  house  was  brought  down  at  the 
judge's  expense. 

A  lady  residing  in  Stamford,  Connecticut,  took  sev- 
eral letters  out  of  the  post-office,  on  one  occasion. 
The  first  one  she  broke  was  from  her  dear  husband  in 
California,  in  which  he  gave  her  a  graphic  description 
of  rustic  life  in  the  mines,  which  so  entertained  her 


30  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

that  slic  ranliomc  and  read  it  to  mother  and  the  fam- 
ily, before  she  thought  of  opening  the  others.  After 
they  had  all  enjoyed  a  hearty  laugh  over  the  Califor- 
nia letter,  she  opened  another,  which  contained  an 
announcement  to  this  effect :  "  Two  nights  ago  your 
husband  went  out  of  the  cabin.  A  few  minutes  after 
his  companions  were  startled  with  the  report  of  a 
pistol,  and  running  out  to  see  what  Avas  the  matter, 
found  your  husband  in  the  bushes  near  by  shot  dead." 
The  surprise  was  so  sudden  and  so  awful,  that  the 
whole  family  fell  as  instantly  as  if  they  had  been 
shot.  The  poor  widow  came  very  near  dying  from 
the  effects  of  the  shock. 

A  young  widow,  the  daughter  of  a  wealthy  planter, 
was  returning  on  a  large  Mississippi  steamboat  to  her 
father's  house.  Her  nurse  was  one  evening  standing 
at  the  stern  of  the  boat,  holding  in  her  arms  a  bright- 
eyed  baby  girl,  the  only  remaining  relic  of  the  young 
widow's  late  happy  home.  By  a  sudden  jump  the 
child  sprang  out  of  the  nurse's  arms  into  the  terrible 
current  that  sweeps  toward  the  falls,  "  and  imme- 
diately disappeared."  The  shrieking  of  the  mother 
arrested  the  attention  of  a  gentleman,  who,  with  a 
large  New  Foundland  dog  lying  by  his  side,  Avas  read- 
ing his  paper.  Running  abaft,  and  hearing  the  ago- 
nizing cry,  "0  my  child!  my  child!"  he  anticipated 
the  difficulty,  and  called  for  an  apron  of  the  child,  and 
causing  his  dog  to  smell  it,  and  pointing  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  drowning  child,  commanded  him  to  jump 
in  and  fetch  it  up.      The  dog  sprang  into  the  rushing 


SUIIPHISES.  31 

waters,  and  soon  disappeared.  A  boat  was  imme- 
diately sent  on  the  search.  It  hardly  got  under  way 
before  the  dos;  was  seen  risin^^;  and  struo-o-linor  far 
dovv^n  the  river  with  something  in  his  mouth.  His 
strength  was  failing  fast,  but  soon  the  pursuing  sailors 
shouted,  "  He 's  got  it !  He 's  got  the  child  !  It's  alive ! 
It's  still  alive!" 

The  sturdy  tars  soon  got  the  dog  and  his  precious 
freight  into  the  boat,  and  brought  them  aboard. 
Snatching  the  child,  and  assuring  herself  that  it  waa 
really  alive,  the  young  mother  rushed  forward,  and 
sinking  beside  the  dog,  threw  her  arms  about  his  neck, 
and  shed  over  him  a  flood  of  grateful  tears. 

Caressing  his  shaggy  head,  she  looked  up  to  his 
owner  and  said,  "  0  sir,  I  must  have  this  dog  !  I  am 
rich;  take  all  I  have — every  thing,  but  give  me  the 
deliverer  of  my  child  from  death  !" 

^'I  am  very  glad,  madam,"  replied  the  gentleman, 
"that  he  has  been  of  service  to  you,  but  nothing  in 
the  world  could  induce  me  to  part  with  him." 

In  this  simple  story,  which  was  published  in  the 
Christian  Advocate  and  Journal  somo  months  ncao, 
we  have  two  surprises — one  overwhelmingly  horrible, 
and  ihe  other  transportingly  joyous,  which  swept 
every  chord  of  that  young  mother's  soul,  and  pro- 
duced a  corresponding  effect  on  all  the  witnesses  of 
the  scene,  to  the  exact  extent  of  their  sympathy  with 
her  ;  and  will  reproduce  tlie  same  feelings  in  the  hearts 
of  all  who  road  of  the  scene,  in  the  precise  degree 
that  they  enter  into  sympathy  with  the  subjects  of  it. 


r 


32  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

Genuine  wit  is  a  species  of  this  surprise  power. 
Witty  men  soon  learn  the  secret  of  their  power,  and 
are  very  apt  to  rely  on  that,  to  the  neglect  of  more 
solid  and  useful  studies. 

It  Avas  said  of  a  medical  student  in  Philadelphia, 
that  he  was  a  great  vrit,  and,  though  a  poor  student, 
was  ahvays  ready  with  an  answer.  One  day,  when  a 
professor  came  into  the  lecture-room'  to  address  the 
students,  he  good-humoredly  propounded  to  Dr.  Wit 
this  question: 

"Doctor,  suppose  a  man  was  blown  up  in  a  steam- 
boat explosion;  what  is  the  first  thing  you  would  do 
in  such  a  case,  sir?" 

All  eyes  and  cars  were  open  to  catch  his  reply, 
when  he  promptly  said,  "Well,  Doctor,  the  first  thing 
I  Avould  do  in  such  a  case  as  that,  sir,  would  be  to  wait 
till  the  man  would  come  dozoii/' 

Such  a  man  would  pass  pretty  currenth^  whether 
he  ever  gave  a  scientific  answer  or  not,  and  hence  did 
not  feel  the  same  stimulus  prompting  him  to  dig  for 
the  truth  wdiich  w^ould  ever  prompt  a  man  less  ready.. 
The  devil  and  bad  men  have  made  such  a  monopoly 
of  this  surprise  power,  that  its  abuses  constitute  a 
large  proportion  of  its  history,  and  yet  its  abuse  is 
not  a  valid  argument  against  its  use  for  purposes  of 
good. 

This  surprise  power  is  based  on  an  essential  law  of 
humanity.  Consult  simple,  undisguised  human  nature 
on  this  subject. 

Begin,  for  example,  Avith  the  children.     You  try  in 


SURPRISES.  33 

vain  to  arrest  and  please  them,  unless  you  furnish 
them  something  that  has  snap,  and  surprise  power 
m  it.  All  their  little  plays  and  amusements,  from 
the  "  peep  bo,"  up  to  the  sky-rocket,  go  to  illustrate 
this  fact.  Go  into  the  street  on  the  night  of  our 
glorious  independence  day,  and  ^^ou'Il  see  a  boy  en- 
tertaining a  score  of  little  boys  and  girls  with  a  Roman 
candle.  Round  and  round  he  whirls  it,  sending  forth 
a  shower  of  sparks  and  blue  blazes.  All  look  on 
with  interest,  but  there  is  no  burst  of  feelino-,  till 
2:)op  goes  the  charge  from  the  candle  like  a  pistol  shot, 
then  they  all  shout.  In  a  moment  all  are  quiet  again, 
looking  at  the  sparks,  w^aitiug  till  pop  goes  another 
charge,  and  then  all  shout  in  joyous  surprise.  Of 
what  interest  would  the  Roman  candle  be  to  them  if  it 
had  no  sparks  ?  and  they  would  fail  to  hold  attention 
but  for  the  pop.  John  Chinaman  seems  to  understand 
this  law  of  humanity,  and  hence  tries  to  meet  its  de- 
mands in  America,  by  sending  us  ship-loads  of  fire- 
crackers to  do  our  popping  for  us.  Some  may  con- 
sider this  but  a  childish  whim  that  ou£:ht  not  to  be 
indulged,  but  I  take  it  as  an  indication  of  an  essential 
law  of  our  being,  which  should  be  properly  guarded 
and  restrained,  and  judiciously  applied  to  the  great 
purposes  for  which  it  was  designed.  It  is  no  childish 
whim,  for  the  old  folks  are  as  fond  of  pops  as  the 
children,  but  they  must  be  of  heavier  caliber  adapted 
to  mature  years.  AYe  are  so  constituted,  physically, 
intellectually,  and  spiritually,  as  to  demand  variety, 
with  all  its  appropriate  transitions. 

There  is  no  more  utility  in  trying  to  ignore  this 


84  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

law,  than  of  trying  to   ignore  the  Laws   of  nutrition 
and  giowth. 

I  am  not  speaking  of  the  law  of  carnal  enmity, 
of  which  St.  Paul  speaks,  when  he  says,  "  I  find 
then  a  law  that  when  I  would  do  good,  evil  is  pres- 
ent with  me.  Fori  delight  in  the  law  of  God  after 
the  inward  man ;  but  I  see  another  law  in  my  mem- 
bers, warring  against  the  law  of  my  mind,  and 
bringing  me  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin  which 
is  in  my  members."  All  sinners  have  experience 
in  the  practical  workiugs  of  that  law,  but  I  am 
speaking  of  an  essential  law  of  the  mental  consti- 
tution. Some  men  affect  to  despise  it,  and  are  un- 
willing to  avail  themselves  of  its  power. 

A  minister  of  the  Gospel  once  kindly  remonstrated 
against  my  efforts  to  simplify  my  preaching,  adapt- 
ing it  to  the  capacity  of  even  the  most  illiterate, 
in  words  they  could  understand,  without  waiting  to 
go  home  to  examine  their  dictionaries,  and  by  sim- 
ple illustrations  of  truth  that  vrould  wake  up  their 
feelings. 

"Brother  T.,"  said  he,  "you  should  cultivate  a 
pure  classical  style,  maintain  your  dignity  as  a  min- 
ister, and  educate  the  people  to  think,  and  bring 
them  up  to  your  standard."  I  knew  but  little  about 
it  at  that  time,  but  even  then  perceived  that,  while 
his  advice,  in  a  qualified  sense,  was  good,  tlie  dry, 
abstract  style  ^vhich  he  recommended  and  prac- 
ticed, failed  utterly  to  take  hold  of  the  people.  I 
concluded  that  the  literary  education  of  the  people 


SURPHISES.  35 

belonged  to  the  schools,  rather  than  the  pulpit,  and 
as  my  message  to  them  was  very  important,  and 
as  the  "king's  business  demanded  haste,"  I  had 
better  not  wait  till  all  could  study  the  hard  words 
in  the  dictionary,  but  by  some  means  find  an  ave- 
nue at  once  to  their  heads  and  hearts,  and  let  them 
know  all  about  it.  It  is  folly  for  a  man  to  say, 
"I'll  bring  that  river  up  over  the  top  of  this  hill, 
or  I  '11  keep  trying  till  the  day  of  my  death." 
Would  it  not  be  better  for  him  to  consult  the  law 
of  gravitation,  use  his  water-level,  and  gently  con- 
duct the  river  round  the  hill  to  the  point  where  he 
wants  it? 

You  may  just  as  well  wage  war  against  the  law 
of  gravitation,  as  against  essential  laws  of  the  men- 
tal constitution.  When  you  find  those  laws  abused 
and  misapplied,  do  n't  try  to  ignore  them,  but  try 
to  correct  the  abuse,  and  turn  them  into  the  right 
channel. 

Allow  me  again,  my  dear  brother,  to  repeat,  that 
there  is  an  essential  law  of  humanity^  implanted 
within  by  Him  who  made  us,  which  imperiously  de- 
mands variety,  with  all  the  sudden  transitions  and 
contrasts  which    characterize    the    kinsidoms  of    na- 

o 

ture,  providence,  and  grace. 

Do  you  ask  me  to  define  that  law,  or  tell  you 
what  it  is?  I  can  not  undertake  to  do  that.  We 
simply  know  that  such  a  law  exists,  by  the  uniform- 
ity and  constancy  of  its  demands  in  human  expe- 
rience.    I  think  it  originates  in   the  soul's   immor- 


36  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

talitj,  and  its  instinctive  longings  for  fountains,  and 
food,  and  ^valks,  and  flights,  and  rapturous  joys, 
which  are  no  vrhore  to  he  found  in  tliis  world.  The 
soul  in  its  tenement  of  clay,  is  like  the  unfledged 
eagle  brought  up  within  the  narrow  limits  of  hia 
cage.  He  has  never  had  any  liberty  outside  its 
walls.  He  knows  but  little  of  the  great  world  around 
and  above  him,  and  yet  he  do  n't  feel  at  home  in 
so  small  a  sphere.  He  walks  round  in  his  cage, 
from  side  to  side,  seekins;  somethins;  to  entertain 
him.  He  spreads  his  wings,  and  feels  that  it  is  a 
good  thing  to  have  wings,  though  he  has  never  yet 
learned  their  use ;  but  somehow  they  excite  in  hira 
a  desire  to  soar,  he  knovrs  not  wherefore,  nor  whith- 
er, for  he  has  never  had  an  opportunity  of  trying 
them  by  a  single  flight.  He  is  restless,  and  wants 
to  go  somCAvhcre,  or  do  something  that  will  break 
the  dull  monotony  of  prison  life.  His  cage  is  often 
moved  from  place  to  place,  but  still  he  is  in  it,  and 
can't  know  much  beyond  it.  He  gazes  at  the  sun 
and  thinks  it  a  pretty  thing  to  look  at,  but  knows 
not  that  it  is  a  beacon  fire  to  guide  his  upward  flight 
to  regions  far  above  this  world  of  trouble,  where 
he  may  bathe  his  plum.age  in  its  bright  effulgence; 
mean  time,  ho  seeks  pleasure  in  all  the  little  surpri- 
ses and  excitements  of  e very-day  life,  instinctively 
iK'ping  all  the  time  that  some  of  them  will  break 
to  him  the  problem  of  his  own  life,  and  bring  in 
his  long-sought  joys. 

The  human  soul  is  endowed  with  wonderful  powers 


SURPRISES.  37 

of  intellect  and  heart,  and  possesses  a  capacity  for 
development  '«vhich  is  as  unlimited  in  its  elFectiveness 
as  the  eternity  of  its  duration.  The  glorified  soul,  in 
its  progressive  development,  will  doubtless  rise  to 
degrees  of  intelligence,  moral  strength,  and  glory, 
which  transcend  all  our  anticipations.  The  eagle's 
ken  surveys  the  sun,  but  his  weary  wings  can  only 
sweep  the  near  shore  of  the  vast  ethereal  sea  which 
intervenes.  "  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard, 
neither  hath  it  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  the 
things  which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  who  love 
him;"  but  high,  and  grand,  and  glorious  as  those 
things  may  be,  the  children  of  God  shall  not  only  see 
them  afar  off,  as  my  noble  bird  does  the  sun,  but  they 
shall  penetrate  their  depths,  scan  their  hights,  and  re- 
alize their  rich  fruition,  for  God  hath  already  revealed 
the  earnest  of  "  these  things  unto  us  b}^  his  Spirit." 
I  desire  no  better  proof  and  illustration  of  the  im- 
measurable capacity,  value,  and  future  dignity  of  the 
human  soul,  than  the  incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God. 
Could  God  have  consented  to  a  union  with  a  nature 
incapable  of  honorable  affinity,  association,  and  dig- 
nified identity  with  himself?  If  man  had  been  so 
groveling  in  his  nature,  except  when  chained  down  by 
sin,  and  so  limited  in  his  capacity  as  to  make  his 
union  with  Divinity,  in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ, 
disgraceful  to  the  Godhead,  would  the  angels  and  all 
the  family  in  heaven  have  consented  to  such  a  mar- 
riage union  ?  What  would  they  have  said  when  the 
bans  were  published  in  his  holy  temple?     Would  not 


38  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

tlie  last  one  of  them  have  united  "svith  all  the  rest,  in  a 
protest  against  the  marriage,  and  shown  cause  why. 
for  the  honor  of  the  whole  family  in  heaven,  it  should 
not  take  place? 

The  orang-outang  is  said,  by  naturalists,  to  be  the 
next  animal  in  the  chain  of  being  below  man,  only  one 
link  below  us ;  and  yet,  if  it  were  possible,  and  a  man 
should,  in  the  possibility  of  the  case,  enter  into  a 
matrimonial  alliance  with  an  orang-outang,  dear  me, 
humanity  would  be  shocked,  and  such  a  man,  as  says 
Job,  "  would  be  chased  out  of  the  world  " — kicked 
out  of  creation.  And  yet,  incomprehensibly  great  as 
is  the  disparity  between  God  and  man,  such  is  the 
dignity  and  improvability  of  man's  mature,  that  God 
enters  into  a  union  with  it,  more  intimate  and  in- 
dissoluble than  any  matrimonial  alliance  can  be. 
"God  was  manifest  in  the  flesh,"  took  a  brother 
body  of  mine,  and  a  brother  soul  of  mine,  into  an 
inseparable  union  with  the  Godhead.  When  the 
bans  of  this  union  w^re  proclaimed  in  heaven  there 
were  no   objections. 

When  the  God-man  appeared,  the  everlasting 
Father  said,  "  Let  all  the  angels  of  God  worship 
him.  And  of  the  angels  he  saith,  Who  maketh  his 
angels  spirits,  and  his  ministers  a  flame  of  fire." 
The  angels  not  only  fall,  with  glad  consent,  in  humble 
adoration  at  his  feet,  but  so  exult  in  the  privilege  of 
being  workers  together  with  him  in  his  mission  of 
mercy,  that  at  their  appointment  to  the  office  of 
"  ministering  spirits,  sent  forth  to  minister  for  them 


SURPRISES.  39 

who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation,"  their  rapturous  zeal 
is  compared  by  Him  who  saw  it  to  "  flaming  fire." 
When  that  flaming  angel,  who  had  the  honor  of  being 
the  express  messenger  to  announce  to  a  sinking  world 
the  coming  of  its  great  deliverer,  received  his  orders, 
he  descended  with  lightning  speed,  proclaiming,  "  Be- 
hold, I  bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which 
shall  be  to  all  people;  for  unto  you  is  born  this 
day,  in  the  city  of  David,  a  Savior,  which  is  Christ 
the  Lord."  "  And  suddenly  there  was  with  him  a 
multitude  of  the  heavenly  host,  praising  God,  and 
saying.  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth 
peace,  good-will  toward  men." 

After  Jesus  had  "  borne  our  griefs  and  carried  our 
sorrows,"  for  "  he  was  v/ounded  for  our  transgres- 
sions, bruised  for  our  iniquities,"  and  bore  in  his  own 
body  the  dreadful  chastisement  necessary  to  procure 
our  peace,  we  see  him,  in  the  person  of  his  risen 
body,  on  the  Mount  of  Olives,  conversing  with  his 
apostles.  The  last  words  of  a  departing  friend  are 
very  impressive.  The  last  words  of  Jesus,  before  his 
ascension,  fell  from  his  lips  on  that  occasion.  What 
blessed  words  they  are  !  "  They  asked  him,  saying, 
Lord,  wilt  thou  at  this  time  restore  agajn  the  king- 
dom of  Israel  ?  And  he  said  unto  them,  It  is  not  for 
you  to  know  the  times  or  the  seasons  which  the 
Father  hath  put  in  his  own  power."  There  is  a  limit 
to  human  knowledge — my  brother,  there  are  many 
things  that  we  are  not  to  know  in  this  world;  but 
the  most   important  thing   for   us   to   know  is   here 


40  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

pledged  :  "  But  ye  shall  receive  power  after  that  the 
llolv  Ghost  is  come  upon  you  :  and  ye  shall  be  wit- 
nesses unto  me  both  in  Jerusalem  and  in  all  Judea, 
and  in  Samaria,  and  unto  the  uttermost  parts  of  the 
earth." 

And  when  he  had  spoken  these  things,  while  they 
beheld,  he  was  taken  up ;  and  a  cloud  received  him 
out  of  their  sight.  He  had  drank  the  contents  of 
the  bitter  cup.  The  struggle  was  passed.  That 
human  body  and  soul,  our  brother,  indissolubly  united 
with,  and  sustained  by  the  Divinity,  had  stood  the 
fiery  ordeal,  and  had  become  "  perfect  through  suffer- 
ings," and  was  now  ready  for  a  triumphal  march  into 
the  eternal  city.  Our  brother  ascended  to  the  scene 
of  his  grand  coronation,  on  the  mediatorial  throne. 
He  will  there  "prepare  a  place  for  us;"  and  says  he, 
"  If  I^repare  a  place  for  you,  I  v*'ill  come  again  and 
receive  you  unto  myself,  that  where  I  am  there  ye 
may  be  also."  The  apostles  saw  him  go  up :  "And 
while  they  looked  steadfastly  toward  heaven  as  he 
went  up,  behold  two  m.en  stood  by  them  in  white  ap- 
parel ;  which  also  said.  Ye  men  of  Galilee,  why 
stand  ye  gazing  up  into  heaven?  this  same  Jesus, 
which  is  taken  up  from  you  into  heaven,  shall  so  come 
in  like  manner  as  ye  have  seen  him  go  into  heaven." 

St.  John  says,  "Beloved,  now  arc  we  the  sons  of 
God,  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be, 
but  we  know  that  when  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be 
like  him ;  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is."  I  have  in- 
troduced these  facts  illustrating  the  dignity  of  human 


SURPRISES.  41 

souls  redeemed,  simply  to  convey  to  your  mind,  my 
brother,  a  clearer  idea  of  their  wonderful  powers  and 
capabilities. 

These  souls,  in  the  language  of  Eliphaz  the  Ti- 
manite,  "  dwell  in  houses  of  clay,  whose  foundation  is 
in  the  dust,  which  are  crushed  before  the  moth." 
Like  the  caged  eagle  we  have  always  been  in  our 
clay  houses,  and  know  not  the  extent  of  our  own 
capacity  nor  the  hights  to  which  we  may  soar,  when 
our  earthly  house,  or  tabernacle,  shall  have  been  dis- 
solved, and  our  redeemed  spirits  uncaged  shall  wing 
their  mystic  flight  to  a  ''  building  of  God,"  not  a 
mere  tent,  "  a  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in 
the  heavens."  We  live  in  a  beautiful  world,  and  our 
earthly  houses  are  admirably  adapted  to  our  pilgrim- 
age life,  and  there  is  much  to  entertain  us  by  the  way ; 
but  after  all,  there  is  a  quenchless  longing  of  the  soul 
for  something  beyond  its  imprisoned  grasp.  Souls 
enlightened  by  the  Spirit,  and  united  to  God  by  faith 
in  Jesus,  know  what  their  soul-satisfying  portion  is, 
and  receive  a  foretaste  of  it,  which  thrills  them  with 
"joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory,"  and  leads  them 
to  sing, 

**  0  would  he  move  of  heaven  bestow. 

And  let  the  vessels  break,  , 

And  let  our  ransomed  spirits  go, 
To  grasp  the  God  we  seek  I" 

"For,"  as  says  St.  Paul,  "in  this  tabernacle  we  do 
groan,  being  burdened;  earnestly  desiring  to  be 
clothed  upon  with  our  house  which  is  in   heaven." 


42  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

I  have  often  heard  then-  songs  of  triumph,  my  broth- 
er, as  they  were  breaking  through  their  prison  walls 
and  preparing  for  their   upward  flight. 

I  saw  the  eagle's  cage  knocked  over  and  broken. 
The  frightened  bird  sprang  out  of  the  wreck,  and 
spread  his  untried  wings,  and  up  he  went.  A  circling 
sweep  or  two  lifted  him  high  above  the  hills,  then  up- 
ward darting  beyond  the  region  of  storms,  he  soon 
passed  the  boundaries  of  earthly  ^asion.  There  lay 
the  broken  cage  in  which  he  had  tried  for  many  years 
to  find  entertainment  and  happiness,  but  now  the 
noble  bird  had  flown. 

Those  who  know  not  God  are  an  inexplicable  mys- 
tery to  them.selves — know  not  what  their  v.'ings  are 
for,  but  they  want  to  fly,  or  do  something  that  will 
satisfy  the  instinctive  yearnings  of  their  souls. 
Hence,  their  heaven-given  powers  are  employed  in  all 
sorts  of  worldly  schemes  which  promise  them  present 
or  ultimate  happiness.  Some  seek  it  in  military 
glory;  some  in  trying  to  hoard  up  the  treasures  of 
earth ;  others  in  Avorldly  pomp  and  display ;  others 
still  in  the  honor  or  profit  of  new  discoveries  in  sci- 
ence or  mechanics;  a  large  majority  try  to  fill  the 
aching  void  within  with  the  pleasures  of  to-day,  on 
the  epicurean  motto,  "Eat,  drink,  and  be  merry." 
All  see  the  raiabov/,  occasionally,  and  believe  the  bag 
of  gold  may  be  found  at  the  end  of  it,  and  all  run  to 
get  it,  but  all  are  disappointed,  for  the  simple  reason 
that  it  is  not  there. 

This  universal  pursuit  of  happiness  is  the  stimulus, 


SURPRISES.  43 

which,  like  a  mighty  engine,  keeps  all  animate  crea- 
tion in  motion ;  and  though  our  souls  are  caged  up 
and  incumbered  by  numberless  disabilities,  how  won- 
derful are  the  achievements  of  the  human  mind  in 
this  world,  furnishing  grand  illustrations  of  its  mighty 
powers!  Whether  we  know  God  and  enjoy  his  par- 
doning mercy,  or  not,  this  mighty  giant  in  chains — 
the  soul — is  always  ready  to  start  at  a  surprise  rap  at 
the  door,  and  runs  to  receive  a  new  hope  or  fear,  or 
something  that  will  afford  variety,  and  break  the  mo- 
notony of  prison-life. 

If  we  look  into  God's  books  of  nature.  Providence, 
or  inspired  word,  we  find  that  he  has  ever  recognized 
this  law  of  our  being,  and  adapted  himself  to  its  de- 
mands for  variety,  with  all  possible  startling  surprises 
of  sudden  transitions  and  contrasts. 


44  THE    MODEL     PREACHER. 


LETTER    III. 

SURPRISE     POWER  — CONTINUED. 

My  Dear  Brother, — Look  into  God's  book  of  na- 
ture and  see  what  surprise  power  breaks  forth  from 
every  page. 

In  smoothing  down  the  earth's  surface,  he  did  not 
make  it  all  one  grand,  level  prairie.  What  an  aston- 
ishing variety  of  hill,  dale,  and  mountain  it  presents! 

In  planting  a  forest,  the  Lord  does  not  set  out  a 
field  of  oaks  in  straight  lines,  another  of  hickory,  and 
another  of  walnut  trees.  He  scatters  them  broadcast 
in  endless  variety  of  size,  shape,  kind,  and  position. 
How  the  traveler  is  surprised  and  entertained  by  the 
variety  of  landscape  scenery,  and  no  less  surprised  by 
the  endless  variety  of  sounds  which  strike  his  ears, 
from  the  chirp  of  the  cricket  up  to  the  roar  of  the 
lion,  and  from  the  ripple  of  the  rill  to  the  thunder  of 
the  cataract! 

The  elements  around  him,  and  the  heavens  above 
him,  all  unite  in  producing  surprises  and  entertain- 
ment for  his  restless,  mighty  soul. 

In  making  a  river,  God  did  not  spring  it  all  up 
from  one  fountain,  and  convey  it  in  gentle  eddies 
across  a  continent  through  a  straight  canal.  Trace, 
if  you  please,  one  of  God's  rivers.  In  pursuit  of  the 
bounding   deer   in   his    mountain   home,    weary   and 


SURPRISES.  45 

thirsty,  you  see,  breaking  from  beneath  the  granite  cliff, 
a  sparkling  little  fountain.  You  drink,  and  lie  down 
to  listen  to  its  rippling  music  and  enjoy  sweet  rest. 

Having  refreshed  yourself,  you  start,  with  joyous 
steps,  to  pursue  the  baby  river.  Now  delighted  with 
its  meanderings,  and  its  sudden  bounds  and  falls ; 
now  another  kindred  stream  comes  leaping  down  the 
mountain,  and  mingling  with  its  sparkling  waters,  on 
they  go,  with  gathering  strength,  as  other  rills,  rivu- 
lets, and  creeks,  break  in  from  behind  the  ridges, 
where  you  least  expected  to  see  them. 

Now  the  river  moves  in  manhood's  strength,  but 
still  keeps  up  all  the  startling  variety  of  the  baby 
fountain;  now  moving  in  gentle  eddies  in  a  straight 
line ;  now  sweeping  a  curve ;  now  dashing  into  a  cat- 
aract, roaring  and  thundering,  causing  the  earth  to 
tremble  under  its  heavy  tread,  and  spouting  up  show- 
ers of  spray,  adorning  the  upper  air  with  rainbow-tints. 

Soon  again  you  see  it  rolling  on  in  quiet  beauty 
among  the  meadows,  inviting  the  anglers  to  its  quiet 
shore,  and  the  bathers  into  its  cheerful  bosom.  Some- 
times looking  ahead  you  see  the  end  of  it.  No  visi- 
ble outlet — completely  blockaded  by  impassable  mount- 
ains. But  suddenly  you  see  that  it  has  leaped  its 
barriers,  perhaps  cleft  a  mountain  right  in  two  to  do 
it,  but  it 's  out  and  gone,  singing  in  its  wild  career, 

Sink  down,  ye  hills  and  mountains, 
Before  my  thousand  fountains. 
In  matchless  union  joined. 
We  are  to  the  ocean  bound. 


46  THE    MODEL    PREACHEH. 

The  perfection  of  the  paiiiter^s  art  is  found  in  a 
correct  copy  of  the  landscape,  just  as  it  is  in  nature, 
'with  all  its  variety  of  hills,  dales,  rills,  rivers,  lakes, 
and  oceans,  with  all  the  lights  and  shades  and  color- 
ing of  their  native  drapery.  On  the  perfection  of  the 
copy  from  nature,  whatever  the  subject  may  be,  de- 
pends the  surprise  power  of  the  painting,  whether  on 
canvas  or  on  mind  by  the  skill  of  the  orator. 

God's  book  of  providence  reveals  as  great,  and 
even  greater  varieties  than  his  book  of  nature.  Its 
surprise  power  is  greatly  increased,  from  the  fact 
that  we  know  so  little  of  the  laws  of  providence,  and 
have  so  limited  an  opportunity  of  anticipating  the 
sudden  surprises  that  break  upon  us  daily.  The  book 
which  contains  the  most  numerous  and  the  most 
startling  and  interesting  surprises  in  the  world,  is 
God's  book  of  revealed  truth — the  holy  Scriptures. 

Read  the  first  chapter  of  Genesis.  The  narration 
of  every  creative  act  is  a  startling  surprise,  and  you 
will  not  find  a  chapter,  from  that  to  the  last  of  Reve- 
lation, which  does  not  contain  more  or  less  of  sur- 
prise power  abounding  in  stirring  efiect. 

I  will  only  select  a  few  passages. 

Take,  for  illustration,  the  trial  of  Abraham's  faith. 
God  called  him,  and  he  answered,  "Behold,  here  I 
am.  And  he  said.  Take  now  thy  son,  thine  onlj  son, 
Isaac,  whom  thou  lovest,  and  get  thee  into  the  land 
of  Moriah,  and  offer  him  there  for  a  burnt  offering 
upon  one  of  the  mountains  which  I  will  tell  thee  of." 
How  natural  for  him  to  say,  '^  Surely,  this  is  contrary 


SURPRISES.  47 

to  the  laws  of  parental  obligation;  contrary  to  the 
laws  of  civil  society  and  of  justice;  contrary  to 
God's  own  promise,  that  my  seed  should  be  as  the 
stars  for  multitude.  What !  kill  the  only  living  heir 
to  the  promise?  Then,  0,  what  would  his  mother 
do  ?  How  can  I  slay  my  son,  my  beloved  son,  mine 
only  son,  Isaac  ?" 

That  was  a  terrible  surprise  to  the  good  man,  but 
he  furnished  another  equally  great,  in  the  prompt  and 
steady  action  of  his  unwavering  fidelity  to  God.  He 
does  not  tell  Sarah.  He  knows  that  her  feelings 
would  bring  her  into  collision  with  his  settled  purpose 
to  obey  God.  He  had  enough  to  do  to  resist  the  tide 
of  his  own  sympathy,  without  opening  the  floodgates 
of  a  kindred  tide,  which  would  probably  sweep  him 
away  from  the  anchorage  ground  of  his  faith. 

"  And  Abraham  rose  up  early  in  the  morning  and 
saddled  his  ass,  and  took  two  of  his  young  men  with 
him,  and  Isaac,  his  son,  and  clave  the  wood  for  the 
burnt  offering,  and  rose  up  and  went  unto  the  place 
of  which  God  had  told  him."  Two  nights  were  spent 
on  the  journey.  What  dreadful  nights  they  must 
have  been  to  the  man  of  God  !  His  confiding  son  lay 
on  his  bosom!  He  could  hear  the  throbbiDirs  of 
his  heart.  ''  And  0,  shall  this  hand — a  father's 
hand — drive  the  knife  into  that  heart — my  son's  heart? 
I  love  my  son,  but  I  love  God  more.  I  will  obey 
God,  and  let  him  take  care  of  the  consequences." 
"  Then,  on  the  third  day,  Abraham  lifted  up  his  eyes 
and  saw  the  place  afar  off."     What  an  awful-looking 


18  THE    MODEL    PREACHER- 

place  it  was  !  but  he  staggered  not.  He  did  not  want 
to  encounter  the  opposing  sympathies  of  the  young 
men.  "And  Abraham  said  unto  his  young  men, 
Abide  ye  here  with  the  ass,  and  I  and  the  lad  will  go 
yonder  and  w^orship  and  come  again  to  you.  And 
Abraham  took  the  wood  of  the  burnt  offering  and  laid 
it  upon  Isaac,  his  son" — Jesus  bore  his  own  cross  up 
that  very  same  mountain — "  and  he  took  the  fire  in  his 
hand,  and  a  knife,  and  they  went,  both  of  them  to- 
gether. And  Isaac  spake  unto  Abraham,  his  father, 
and  said : 

"  My  father ;  and  he  said.  Here  am  I,  my  son 

"  And  he  said.  Behold  the  fire  and  the  wood :  but 
where  is  the  lamb  for  a  burnt  offering?" 

What  response  could  his  agonized  heart  give  to 
that  question  ? 

No  time  for  the  discussion  of  such  a  question.  He 
could  only  refer  the  whole  matter  to  God.  "And 
Abraham  said.  My  son,  God  will  provide  himself  a 
lamb  for  a  burnt  offering."  God  did  do  it,  -'  and  gave 
his  only-begotten  Son."  "  So  they  went  both  of  them 
together.  And  they  came  to  the  place  which  God 
had  told  him  of:  and  Abraham  built  an  altar  there, 
and  laid  the  wood  in  order  " — then  came  the  mortal 
tug — "  and  bound  Isaac  his  son,  and  laid  him  on  the 
altar  on  the  wood.  And  Abraham  stretched  forth 
his  hand,  and  took  the  knife  to  slay  his  son."  The 
knife  gleams  in  the  sunlight,  and  in  a  second  will 
pierce  the  heart  of  Sarah's  only  son. 

Hark!    the    angel   of  the    covenant — the   pealing 


SURPRISES.  49 

notes  of  the  voice  divme,  arrest  the  death-dealing 
stroke :  "  Abraham  !  Abraham  !"  and  he  dropped  his 
Band  and  said,  "  Here  am  I." 

And  he  said,  "  Lay  not  thine  hand  upon  the  lad, 
neither  do  thou  any  thing  unto  him  :  for  now  I  know 
that  thou  fearest  (jod,  seeing  thou  hast  not  withheld 
thy  son,  thine  only  son,  from  me.  And  Abraham 
lifted  up  his  eyes  and  looked,  and  behold,  behind  him, 
a  ram  caught  in  a  thicket  by  his  horns,"  the  most 
interesting-looking  ram  he  ever  saw  in  his  life.  Did 
he  not  pitch  into  him  with  a  will  ?  "  And  he  offered 
him  up  for  a  burnt- offering  in  the  stead  of  his  son." 

There  is,  in  my  opinion,  more  surprise  power  in 
this  narrative  of  a  few  lines,  than  you  can  find  in  any 
modern  history  or  novel  of  five  hundred  pages.  The 
authorship  of  Moses  was  as  remarkable  as  his  states- 
manship. He  gives  the  very  language  and  expres- 
.sion  of  each  party  represented,  and  draws  the  whole 
picture  to  the  life. 

Take  another  example  from  the  pen  of  the  same 
frriter — the  history  of  Joseph.  Read  it,  and  mark 
its  sudden  transitions.  To  assist  you,  I  will  name 
and  number  its  leading  surprises. 

1.  The  murderous  plot  of  the  nine  wicked  brothers, 
when  they  saw  in  the  distance  the  weary  lad  ap- 
proaching. 

2.  The  successful  intofposition  of  S-euben  in  his 
behalf. 

3.  The  surprise  and  anguish  of  poor  Joseph  when 
cast  into  the  pit. 


50  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

4.  Tlie  company  of  Islimaeliics,  and  the  sale  of 
Josepli   to   them. 

5.  Reuben's  disappointment  in  not  finding  him  in 
the  pit,  -when,  with  a  brother's  yearning  heart,  he 
came  for  his  rescue.  "  And  he  rent  his  clothes,  and 
returned  unto  his  brethren  and  said,  The  child  is  not : 
and  I,  whither  shall  I  go  ?" 

6.  The  dreadful  tidings,  borne  by  the  guilty  broth- 
ers to  the  old  patriarch,  holding  up  to  his  view  at 
the  same  time  the  bloody  coat  of  his  own  dear  Jo- 
seph, saying,  "  This  have  we  found ;  know  now 
whether  it  be  thy  son's  coat  or  no.  And  he  knew  it, 
and  said.  It  is  my  son's  coat ;  an  evil  beast  hath  de- 
voured him  ;  Joseph  is  without  doubt  rent  in  pieces. 
And  Jacob  rent  his  clothes,  and  put  sackcloth  upon 
his  loins,  and  mourned  for  his  son  many  days.  And 
all  his  sons  and  all  his  daughters  rose  up  to  comfort 
him ;  but  he  refused  to  be  comforted,  and  he  said, 
For  I  will  go  down  into  the  grave  unto  my  son 
mourning.     Thus  his  father  wept  for  him." 

7.  Joseph's  chastity.  Potiphar's  wife,  with  "  her 
much  fair  speech,  and  with  the  flattering  of  her  lips, 
could  not  cause  him  to  yield." 

8.  Her  ingenious  diabolic  accusation  to  her  hus- 
band. 

9.  Joseph's  imprisonment. 

10.  His  interpretation  of  the  butler's  dream — a 
sweet  surprise  to  the  poor  fellow. 

11.  His  interpretation  of  the  baker's  dream — a 
horrible  surprise,  rendered  doubly  horrible  by  its  con- 


SURPRISES.  51 

trast  with  tliat  of  the  butler,  the  pleasmg  termiRation 
of  whose  dream  had  inflated  the  poor  baker's  hopes, 
which  now  suddenly  set  in  the  darkness  of  despair. 

12.  Pharoah's  extraordinary  dream,  and  fruitless 
efforts  to  find  an  interpreter. 

13.  The  wonderful  story  of  the  butler  to  the  king 
about  one  of  the  convicts  in  jail  who  could  interpret 
dreams.  He  had  just  thought  of  him  after  two  years 
of  ungrateful  neglect. 

14.  Poor  Joseph  had  about  given  up  all  hope  of  re- 
lease, when  the  king's  messenger  rushed  into  the 
dungeon,  saying,  "Joseph,  the  king  wants  to  see  thee 
in  court  immediately."  He  shed  off  his  dirty  duds 
covered  with  vermin,  washed  and  shaved  himself,  and 
in  raiment  nice  and  clean  walked  into  the  palace. 
And  Pharaoh  said  unto  Joseph,  "I  have  dreamed  a 
dream,  and  there  is  none  that  can  interpret  it :  and 
I  have  heard  say  of  thee,  that  thou  canst  understand 
a  dream  to  interpret  it."  And  Joseph  answered 
Pharaoh,  saying,  "It  is  not  in  me:  God  shall  give 
Pharaoh  an  answer  of  peace." 

15.  The  interpretation. 

16.  Plis  sudden  promotion.  "And  Pharaoh  said 
unto  his  servants,  Can  we  find  such  a  man  as  this  is, 
a  man  in  whom  the  Spirit  of  God  is  ?  And  Pharaoh 
said  unto  Joseph,  Forasmuch  as  God  hath  shewed  thee 
all  this,  there  is  none  so  discreet  and  wise  as  thou 
art.  Thou  shalt  be  over  my  house,  and  accord- 
ing unto  thy  word  shall  my  people  be  ruled  :  only  on 
the  throne  will  I  be  greater  than  thou.    And  Pharaoh 


52  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

said  unto  Joseph,  Sec,  I  have  set  thee  over  all  the 
land  of  Eizypt.  And  Pharaoh  took  off  his  ring  from 
his  hand,  and  put  it  upon  Joseph's  hand,  and  ar- 
rayed him  in  vestures  of  fine  linen,  and  put  a  gold 
chain  about  his  neck;  and  he  made  him  to  ride  in  the 
second  chariot  v^hich  he  had,  and  they  cried  before 
him.  Bow  the  knee :  and  he  made  him  ruler  over  all 
the  land  of  Egypt.  And  Pharaoh  said  unto  Joseph, 
I  am  Pharaoh,  and  without  thee  shall  no  man  lift  up 
his  hand  or  foot  in  all  the  land  of  Egypt.  And  he 
gave  him  to  wife  Asenath,  the  daughter  of  Poti- 
pherah,  priest  of  On.  And  Joseph  vrent  out  over  all 
the  land  of  Egypt."  Was  that  not  a  surprising  rise 
in  the  world  ? 

17.  The  first  interview  of  Jacob's  ten  famine- 
pinched  sons  with  the  governor  of  Egypt.  "■  And 
Joseph  was  the  governor  over  the  land,  and  he  it  was 
that  sold  to  all  the  people  of  the  land ;  and  Joseph's 
brethren  came  and  bowed  down  themselves  before 
him  with  their  faces  to  the  earth.  And  Joseph  saw 
his  brethren,  and  he  knew  them,  but  he  made  him- 
self strange  unto  them,  and  spake  roughly  unto 
them ;  and  he  said  unto  them,  Whence  come  ye  ? 
And  they  said.  From  the  land  of  Canaan,  to  buy 
food.  And  Joseph  knew  his  brethren,  but  they 
knew  not  him.  And  Joseph  remembered  the  dreams 
which  he  dreamed  of  them  " — and  what  an  association 
of  scenes,  precedent  and  subsequent,  crowded  into 
his  mind! — '*  and  he  said  unto  them.  Ye  are  spies; 
to   sec   the   nakedness   of    the   land    ye   arc   corao, 


SURPRISES.  53 

And  they  said  unto  him,  Nay,  my  lord,  but  to  buy 
food  are  thy  servants  come.  Y/e  are  all  one  man's 
sons :  we  are  true  men ;  thy  servants  are  no  spies. 
And  he  said  unto  them,  Nay,  but  tQ'  see  the  naked- 
ness of  the  land  ye  are  come.  And  they  said, 
Thy  servants  are  tv/elvc  brethren,  the  sons  of  one 
man  in  the  land  of  Canaan ;  and  behold,  the  young- 
est is  this  day  with  our  father,  and  one  is  not. 
And  Joseph  said  unto  them,  That  is  it  that  I  spake 
unto  you,  saying.  Ye  are  spies.  Hereby  ye  shall 
be  proved.  By  the  life  of  Pharaoh,  ye  shall  not 
go  forth  hence,  except  your  ^''oungest  brother  come 
hither.  Send  one  of  you  and  let  him  fetch  your 
brother,  and  ye  shall  be  kept  in  prison,  that  your 
words  may  be  proved,  whether  there  be  any  truth 
in  you ;  or  else,  by  the  life  of  Pharaoh,  ye  are  spies. 
And  he  put  them  all  together  into  ward  three 
days" — gave  them  a  small  taste  of  what  he  had  en- 
dured on  account  of  their  cruelty  for  years. 

"  And  Joseph  said  unto  them  the  third  day.  This 
do,  and  live,  for  I  fear  God.  If  ye  be  true  men, 
let  one  of  your  brethren  be  bound  in  the  house  of 
your  prison ;  go  ye,  carry  corn  for  the  fam.ine  of 
your  houses.  But  bring  your  youngest  brother  unto 
me,  so  shall  your  words  be  verified,  and  ye  shall 
not  die.     xVnd  they  did  so. 

"And  they  said  one  to  another,  "We  are  verily 
guilty  concerning  our  brother,  in  that  we  saw  the 
anguish  of  his  soul,  when  he  besought  us  and  we 
would  not  hear  ;  therefore  is  this  distress  come  upon 


54  THE    MODEL    rilEAC  HER. 

US.  And  Keuben  answered  them,  saying,  Spake  I 
not  unto  YOU,  saying,  Do  not  sin  against  the  child; 
and  ye  would  not  hear?  therefore,  behold,  also  his 
blood  is  required.  And  they  knew  not  tliat  Joseph 
understood  them" — had  no  idea  that  the  governor  un- 
derstood Hebrew — "for  he  spake  unto  them  by  an 
interpreter.  And  he  turned  himself  about  from 
them,  and  wept;  and  returned  to  them  again,  and 
communed  with  them,  and  took  from  them  Simeon, 
and  bound  him  before  their  eyes.  Then  Joseph 
commenced  to  fill  their  sacks  mill  corn,  and  to  re- 
store ever^^  man's  money  into  his  sack,  and  to  give 
them  provision  for  the  way;  and  thus  did  he  unto 
them.  And  they  laded  their  asses  with  the  corn, 
and  departed  thence. 

18.  "And  as  one  of  them  opened  his  sack,  to  give 
liis  ass  provender  in  the  inn,  he  espied  his  money; 
for,  behold,  it  was  in  his  sack's  mouth.  And  he  said 
unto  his  brethren.  My  money  is  restored ;  and  lo, 
it  is  even  in  my  sack;  and  their  hearts  fiiiled  them, 
and  they  were  afraid,  saying  one  to  another,  What  is 
this  that  God  hath  done  unto  us?"  How  terrible  are 
the  accusations  and  forebodings  of  a  guilty  con- 
science ! 

19.  They  reported  all  these  things  to  Jacob.  "And 
it  came  to  pass,  as  they  emptied  their  sacks,  that, 
behold,  every  man's  bundle  of  money  was  in  his 
sack ;  and  when  both  they  and  their  father  saw  the 
money,  they  were  afraid.  And  Jacob,  their  father, 
said  unto  them,  Me  have  ye  bereaved  of  my  chii- 


SURPRISES.  55 

dren;  Joseph  is  not,  and  Simeon  is  not,  and  ye  will 
take  Benjamin  away.  All  these  things  are  against 
me. 

"  And  Reuben  said  unto  his  father,  Slay  my  two 
sons,  if  I  bring  him  not  to  thee;  deliver  him  into 
my  hands,  and  I  will  bring  him  to  thee  again. 
And  he  said,  My  son  shall  not  go  down  with  you,  for 
his  brother  is  dead,  and  he  is  left  alone;  if  mischief 
befall  him  by  the  way  in  which  ye  go,  then  shall 
ye  bring  down  my  gray  hairs  with  sorrow  to  the 
grave. 

"And  the  famine  was  sore  in  the  land.  And  it 
came  to  pass,  when  they  had  eaten  up  the  corn 
which  they  had  brought  out  of  Egypt,  their  father 
said  unto  them.  Go  again,  buy  us  a  little  food.  And 
Judah  spake  unto  him,  saying.  The  man  did  solemnly 
protest  unto  us,  saying,  Ye  shall  not  see  my  face, 
except  your  brother  be  with  you.  If  thou  wilt  send 
our  brother  with  us,  y;e  will  go  down  and  buy  thee 
food.  But  if  thou  wilt  not  send  him,  we  will  not 
go  down ;  for  the  man  said  unto  us.  Ye  shall  not  see 
my  face,  except  your  brother  be  with  you.  And 
Israel  said,  Wherefore  dealt  ye  so  ill  with  me,  as 
to  tell  the  man  whether  ye  had  yet  a  brother  ?  And 
they  said,  The  man  asked  us  straitly  of  our  state, 
and  of  our  kindred,  saying.  Is  your  father  yet  alive? 
have  ye  another  brother?  and  we  told  him  according 
to  the  tenor  of  these  words.  Could  we  certainly 
know  that  he  would  say.  Bring  your  brother  down? 

"  And  Judah  said  unto  Israel,  his  father,  Send  the 


56  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

lad  with  me,  and  we  will  arise  and  go,  that  we  may 
live,  and  not  die,  both  we  and  thou,  and  also  om* 
little  ones.  -  I  will  be  surety  for  jiim,  of  my  hand 
shalt  thou  require  him  ;  if  I  brinix  him  not  unto  thee 
and  set  him  before  thee,  then  let  mc  bear  the  blame 
forever.  For  except  we  had  lingered,  surely  now- 
Y,-e  had  returned  this  second  time.  And  their  father 
Israel  said  unto  them.  If  it  must  be  so  novv^,  do  this ; 
take  of  the  best  fruits  in  the  land  in  your  vessels, 
and  carry  down  the  man  a  present,  a  little  balm, 
and  a  little  honey,  spices  and  myrrh,  nuts  and  al- 
monds. And  take  double  money  in  your  hand,  and 
the  money  that  was  brought  again  in  your  sacks, 
carry  it  again  in  your  hand ;  peradvcnture,  it  was 
an  oversight.  Take  also  your  brother,  and  arise  ; 
go  again  unto  the  man.  And  God  Almighty  give 
you  mercy  before  the  man,  that  he  may  send  away 
your  other  brother,  and  Benjamin.  If  I  be  bereaved 
of  Tcrj  children,  I  am  bereaved. 

''And  the  men  took  that  present,  and  they  took 
double  money  in  their  hands,  and  Benjamin,  and 
rose  up,  and  v/ent  down  to  Egypt  and  stood  before 
Joseph.  And  when  Joseph  saw  Benjamin  with  them, 
he  said  to  the  ruler  of  his  house.  Bring  these  men 
home,  and  slay,  and  make  ready;  for  these  men 
shall  dine  with  me  at  noon.  And  the  men  did  as 
Joseph  bade,  and  the  man  brought  the  men  into 
Joseph's  house. 

20.  "And  the  men  were  afraid,  because  they  were 
brought  into  Joseph's  house,  and  they  said,  Because 


SURPRISES.  57 

of  the  money  that  Avas  returned  in  our  sacks  at,  the 
first  tiree^  are  "we  brought  in;  that  he  may  seek  oc- 
casion against  us,  and  fall  upon  us,  and  take  us  for 
bondmen,  and  our  asses.  And  they  came  near  to 
the  steward  of  Joseph's  house,  and  they  communed 
with  him  at  the  door  of  the  house" — they  wanted 
an  intercessor  between  them  and  the  governor — 
*'and  said,  0,  sir,  we  came  indeed  down  at  the  first 
to  buy  food,  and  it  came  to  pass,  when  we  camo 
to  the  inn,  that  we  opened  our  sacks,  and  behold, 
every  man's  money  was  in  the  mouth  of  his  sack, 
our  money  in  full  weight,  and  we  have  brought  it 
again  in  our  hand.  And  other  money  have  w^e 
brought  down  in  our  hands  to  buy  food;  we  can  not 
tell  who  put  our  money  in  our  sacks.  And  he  said, 
Peace  be  to  you,  fear  not;  your  God,  and  the  God 
of  jour  father,  hath  given  you  treasure  in  your 
sa;cks;  I  had  your  money.  And  he  brought  Simeon 
out  unto  them.  And  the  man  brought  the  men  into 
Joseph's  house,  and  gave  them  water,  and  they 
v>'ashed  their  feet ;  and  he  gave  their  asses  proven- 
der. And  they  made  ready  the  present  against 
Joseph  came  at  noon ;  for  they  heard  that  they 
should  eat  bread  there.  And  when  Joseph,  camo 
home,  they  brought  him  the  present  Vvdiich  was  in 
their  hand  into  the  house,  and  bowed  themselvCsS 
to  him  to  the  earth.  And  he  asked  them  of  their 
welfare,  and  said.  Is  your  father  well,  the  old  man 
of  whom  ye  spake?  Is  he  yet  alive?  And  they  an- 
swered, Thy  servant,  our  father,  is  in  good  health: 


58  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

lie  is  yet  alive.     And  they  bowed  down  their  heads 
and  made  obeisance. 

"  And  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  and  saw  his  brother 
]>enjamin,  his  mother's  son,  and  said,  Is  this  your 
younger  brother,  of  whom  ye  spake  unto  me?  And  he 
said,  God  be  gracious  to  thee,  my  son  !  And  Joseph 
made  haste;  for  his  bowels  did  yearn  upon  his  brother: 
and  he  sought  where  to  weep ;  and  he  entered  into  his 
chamber  and  wept  there.  And  he  washed  his  face., 
and  went  out,  and  refrained  himself,  and  said,  Set  on 
bread.  And  they  set  on  for  him  by  himself,  and  for 
them  by  themselves,  and  for  the  Egyptians,  which 
did  eat  with  him,  by  themselves.  And  they  sat  be- 
fore him,  the  first-born  according  to  his  birthright,  and 
the  youngest  according  to  his  youth  :  and  the  men 
marveled  one  to  another.  And  he  took  and  sent 
messes  unto  them  from  before  him  :  but  Benjamin's 
mess  was  five  times  so  much  as  any  of  theirs.  And 
they  drank  and  were  merry  with  him.  And  he  com- 
manded the  steward  of  his  house,  saying,  Fill  the 
men's  sacks  with  food,  as  much  as  they  can  carry, 
and  put  every  man's  money  in  his  sack's  mouth. 
And  put  my  cup,  the  silver  cup,  in  the  sack's  mouth 
of  the  youngest,  and  his  corn  money.  And  he  did 
according  to  the  word  that  Joseph  had  spoken.  And 
as  soon  as  the  morning  was  light,  the  men  were  sent 
Away,  they  and  their  asses.  And  when  they  were 
gone  out  of  the  city,  and  not  yet  far  oft',  Joseph  said 
unto  his  steward.  Up,  follow  after  the  men:  and 
when    thou    doest    overtake   them,    say   unto    them, 


SUEP  RISES.  59 

"Wherefore  have  ye  re^Yarded  evil  for  good?  Is  not 
this  in  which  my  lord  drinketh,  and  whereby  indeed 
he  divineth  ?  ye  have  done  evil  in  so  doing.  And  he 
overtook  them,  and  spake  unto  them  these  same 
words. 

21.  '^And  they  said  unto  him,  Wherefore  saith  my 
lord  these  words?  God  forbid  that  thy  servants  should 
do  according  to  this  thing.  Behold,  the  money  which 
we  found  in  our  sacks'  moutlis,  we  brought  an-ain  unto 
thee  out  of  the  land  of  Canaan  :  how  then  should  we 
steal  out  of  thy  lord's  house  silver  or  gold  ?  With 
whomsoever  of  thy  servants  it  may  be  found,  both 
let  him  die,  and  we  also  will  be  my  lord's  bondmen. 
And  he  said,  Now  also  let  it  be  according  unto  your 
words:  he  Avith  whom  it  is  found  shall  be  my  ser- 
vant, and  ye  shall  be  blameless.  Then  they  speedily 
took  down  every  man  his  sack  to  the  ground,  and 
opened  every  man  his  sack.  And  he  searched,  and 
began  at  the  eldest,  and  left  at  the  youngest :  and 
the  cup  was  found  in  Benjamin's  sack. 

22.  "  Then  they  rent  their  clothes,  and  laded  every 
man  his  ass,  and  returned  to  the  city.  And  Judah 
and  his  brethren  came  to  Joseph's  house  ;  for  he  was 
yet  there  :  and  they  fell  before  him  on  the  ground. 
And  Joseph  said  unto  them.  What  deed  is  this  ye 
have  done  ?  Wot  ye  not  that  such  a  man  as  I  can 
certainly  divine  ?  And  Judah  said.  What  shall  we  say 
unto  my  lord  ?  whp.t  shall  we  speak  ?  or  how  shall  we 
clear  ourselves  ?  God  hath  found  out  the  iniquity  of 
thy  servants ;  behold,  we  are  my  lord's  servants,  both 


60  T  IT  E    M  0  D  E  L    P  R  E  A  C  n  E  R  . 

we,  and  ho  also  with  whom  the  cup  is  found.  A.nd  he 
said,  God  forbid  that  I  should  do  so;  but  the  man  in 
whose  hand  the  cup  is  found,  he  shall  be  my  servant ; 
and  as  for  you,  get  you  up  in  peace  unto  your  father. 
^'  Then  Judah  came  near  unto  him,  and  said,  0  my 
lord,  let  thy  servant,  I  pray  thee,  speak  a  word  in  my 
lord's  ears,  and  let  not  thine  anger  burn  against  thy 
servant :  for  thou  art  even  as  Pharaoh.  My  lord 
asked  his  servants,  saying,  Have  ye  a  father,  or  a 
brother?  And  we  said  unto  my  lord.  We  have  a 
father,  an  old  man,  and  a  child  of  his  old  age,  a  little 
one  ;  and  his  brother  is  dead,  and  he  alone  is  left  of 
his  mother,  and  his  father  loveth  him.  And  thou 
saidst  unto  thy  servants.  Bring  him  down  unto  me, 
that  I  may  set  mine  eyes  upon  him.  And  we  said 
unto  my  lord.  The  lad  can  not  leave  his  father;  for 
if  he  should  leave  his_  father,  his  father  would 
die.  And  thou  saidst*  unto  thy  servants.  Except 
your  youngest  brother  come  down  with  you,  ye 
shall  see  my  face  no  more.  And  it  came  to  pass 
when  vre  came  up  unto  thy  servant,  my  father,  we  told 
him  the  words  of  my  lord.  And  our  father  said.  Go 
again,  and  buy  us  a  little  food.  And  we  said,  AYe 
can  not  go  down :  if  our  youngest  brother  be  with  us, 
then  will  v<o  go  down :  for  we  may  not  see  the  man's 
face,  except  our  youngest  brother  be  with  us.  And 
thy  servant,  my  father,  said  unto  us.  Ye  know  that  my 
wife  bare  me  two  sons  :  and  the  one  we«t  out  from 
me,  and  I  said.  Surely  he  is  torn  in  pieces  ;  and  I 
saw  him  not  since :  and  if  ye  take  this  also  from  me. 


SURPRISES.  61 

ind  mischief  befall  him,  ye  shall  bring  down  my  gray 
hairs  with  sorrow  to  the  grave.  Eor  thy  servant  be- 
;;ame  surety  for  the  lad  unto  my  father,  saying,  If  1 
\)ring  him  not  unto  thee,  then  I  shall  bear  the  blame 
iinto  my  father  forever.  Now  therefore,  I  pray  thee, 
let  thy  servant  abide  instead  of  the  lad  a  bondman  to 
my  lord;  and  let  the  lad  go  up  with  his  brethren. 
For  how  shall  I  go  up  to  my  fiither,  and  the  lad  be 
not  with  me  ?  lost  peradvcnture  I  see  the  evil  that 
shall  come  on  my  father. 

"  Then  Joseph  could  not  refrain  him.self  before  all 
them  that  stood  by  him  ;  and  cried,  Cause  every  man 
to  go  out  from  me.  And  there  stood  no  man  with 
him,  while  Joseph  made  himself  known  unto  his  breth- 
ren. And  he  v^ept  aloud;  and  the  Egyptians  and  the 
house  of  Pharaoh  heard. 

23.  '^And  Joseph  said  unto  his  brethren,  I  am  Jo- 
seph;  doth  my  father  yet  live?  And  his  brethren 
could  not  answer  him ;  for  they  vrere  troubled  at  his 
presence.  And  Joseph  said  unto  his  brethren,  Come 
near  to  me,  I  pray  you.  And  they  eamo  near.  And 
he  said,  I  am  Joseph  your  brother,  whom  ye  sold  into 
Egypt.  Now  therefore,  be  not  grieved,  nor  angry 
with  yourselves,  that  ye-  sold  me  hither,  for  God  did 
send  me  before  you  to  preserve  life.  For  these  two 
years  hath  the  famine  been  in  the  land:  and  yet  there 
are  five  years,  in  the  which  there  shall  neither  be  ear- 
ing nor  harvest.  And  God  sent  me  before  you  to 
preserve  you  a  posterity  in  the  earth,  and  to  save  your 
lives  by  a  great  deliverance.     So  nov/  it  was  not  you 


62  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

that  sent  me  hither,  but  God ;  and  he  hath  made  me 
a  father  to  Pharaoh,  and  lord  of  all  his  house,  and  a 
ruler  throughout  all  the  land  of  Egypt.  Haste  ye 
and  go  up  to  my  father,  and  say  unto  him.  Thus 
saith  thy  son  Joseph,  God  hath  made  me  lord  of  all 
!Egypt :  come  down  unto  me,  tarry  not ;  and  thou 
shalt  dwell  in  the  land  of  Goshen,  and  thou  shalt  be 
near  unto  me,  thou,  and  thy  children,  and  thy  chil- 
dren's children,  and  thy  flocks,  and  thy  herds,  and 
all  that  thou  hast :  and  there  will  I  nourish  thee  ; 
for  yet  there  are  five  years  of  famine  ;  lest  thou,  and 
thy  household,  and  all  that  thou  hast,  come  to 
poverty.  And  behold,  your  eyes  see,  and  the  eyes 
of  my  brother  Benjamin,  that  it  is  my  mouth  that 
speaketh  unto  you.  And  ye  shall  tell  my  father  all 
my  glory  in  Egypt,  and  of  all  that  ye  have  seen: 
and  ye  shall  haste  and  bring  down  my  father  hither. 
And  he  fell  upon  his  brother  Benjamin's  neck  and 
wept ;  and  Benjamin  wept  upon  his  neck.  Moreover 
he  kissed  all  his  brethren,  and  wept  upon  them:  and 
after  that  his  brethren  talked  with  him.  And  the 
fame  thereof  was  heard  in  Pharaoh's  house,  saying, 
Joseph's  brethren  are  come :  and  it  pleased  Pharaoh 
well,  and  his  servants.  And  Pharaoh  said  unto  Jo- 
seph, Say  unto  tliy  brethren.  This  do  ye;  lade  your 
beasts  and  go,  get  you  unto  the  land  of  Canaan ; 
and  take  your  father  and  your  households,  and  come 
unto  me :  and  I  will  give  you  the  good  of  the  land  of 
Egypt,  and  yc  shall  cat  the  fat  of  the  land.  Now 
thou  art  commanded,  this  do  ye,  take  your  wagons 


SURPRISES.  63 

out  of  the  land  of  Egypt  for  your  little  ones,  and  for 
your  wives,  and  bring  your  father  and  come.  Also 
regard  not  your  stuff;  for  the  good  of  all  the  land  of 
Egypt  is  yours.  And  the  children  of  Israel  did  so  : 
and  Joseph  gave  them  wagons,  according  to  the  com- 
mandment of  Pharaoh,  and  gave  them  provisions  for 
the  way.  To  all  of  them  he  gave  each  man  changes 
of  raiment ;  but  to  Benjamin  he  gave  three  hundred 
pieces  of  silver,  and  five  changes  of  raiment.  And 
to  his  father  he  sent  after  this  manner:  ten  asses 
laden  with  the  good  things  of  Egypt,  and  ten  she  ass- 
es laden  with  corn  and  bread  and  meat  for  his  father 
by  the  way.  And  they  went  up  out  of  Egypt,  and 
came  into  the  land  of  Canaan  unto  Jacob  their  father, 

24.  "And  told  him,  saying,  Joseph  is  yet  alive,  and 
he  is  governor  over  all  the  land  of  Egypt,  And  Ja- 
cob's heart  fainted,  for  he  believed  them  not.  And 
they  told  him  all  the  words  of  Joseph,  which  he  had 
said  unto  them:  and  when  he  saw  the  wagons  which 
Joseph  had  sent  to  carry  him,  the  spirit  of  Jacob  their 
father  revived.  And  Israel  said,  It  is  enough ;  Jo- 
seph my  son  is  yet  alive :  I  will  go  and  see  him 
before  I  die.  And  Israel  took  his  journey  with  all 
that  he  had,  and  came  to  Beersheba,"  the  well  of  the 
oath,  where  his  old  grandfather  used  to  offer  sacri- 
fices and  worship  God.  Israel  was  very  anxious  to 
see  his  son,  but  would  not  go  till  he  had  consulted 
the  God  of  his  fathers  "  and  offered  sacrifices  unto 
the  God  of  his  father  Isaac. 

"And  God  spake  unto  Israel  in  the  visions  of  the 


64  THE    BIODEL    PREACH  EK. 

night,  and  said,  Jacob,  Jacob ;  and  he  said,  Here 
am  I.  And  he  said,  I  am  God,  the  God  of  thy  fa- 
ther ;  fear  not  to  go  down  into  Egypt :  for  I  will  there 
make  of  thee-  a  great  nation.  I  will  go  down  with 
thee  into  Egypt,  and  I  will  also  surely  bring  thee  up 
again :  and  Joseph  shall  put  his  hand  upon  thine 
eyes."  God  knew  Avhere  Joseph  was  all  the  time, 
and  could  have  told  his  servant  Israel,  but  knew  that 
it  was  best  that  he  should  not  know,  till  the  appro- 
priate time  should  come.  We  here  ''know  but  in 
part."  "And  Jacob  rose  up  from  Beersheba:  and 
the  sons  of  Israel  carried  Jacob  their  father,  and  their 
little  ones,  and  their  wives,  in  the  w^agons  which 
Pharaoh  had  sent  to  carry  him.  And  they  took  their 
cattle,  and  their  goods,  wdiich  they  had  gotten  in  the 
land  of  Canaan,  and  came  into  Egypt,  Jacob,  and  all 
his  seed  with  him.  And  he  sent  Judah  before  him 
unto  Joseph,  to  direct  his  face  unto  Goshen;  and 
.they  came  into  the  land  of  Goshen.  And  Joseph 
made  ready  his  chariot,  and  went  up  to  meet  Israel 
his  father,  to  Goshen,  and  presented  himself  unto 
him;  and  he  fell  on  his  neck,  and  wept  on  his  neck  a 
good  while." 

When  f  ither  Gennella,  from  Switzerland,  met  his 
son  Joseph  from  California,  on  the  steamer,  in  New- 
Orleans,  after  a  separation  of  eighteen  years,  he  fell 
on  his  son's  neck,  and  wept  three  hours  before  he 
could  speak  a  word.  "And  Israel  said  unto  Joseph, 
Now  let  me  die,  since  I  liavc  seen  thy  face,  l)ccause 
thou  art  yet  alive." 


SURPRISES.  65 

I  liave  in  this  narrative  marked  twenty- four  sur- 
prises, each  suddenly  opening  a  new  channel  for 
thought  and  feeling,  into  which  the  tide  of  the  reader's 
sympathy  flows  as  readily  as  the  pent-up  waters  when 
the  fountain  is  tapped. 

My  space  will  not  allow  me  to  multiply  specimen 
illustrations  from  the  Scriptures. 

Every  prophetic  announcement,  and  every  miracle, 
was  in  itself  a  grand  surprise,  the  power  of  which,  at 
this  remote  period,  we  can  not  very  readily  conceive. 
The  first  proclamation  of  every  doctrine  of  the  Bible, 
so  directly  antagonistic  to  the  current  notions  of  the 
world,  produced  a  startling  surprise.  Every  Scripture 
*  narrative  comes  dow^n  to  us  flashing  with  surprises. 
"Holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the 
Holy  Ghost;"  and  the  divine  oracles  were  written 
out  to  the  life,  in  simplicity.  They  did  not  merely  give 
an  abstract  statement  of  the  truths  they  wished  to 
communicate ;  but  as  far  as  possible,  in  all  cases,  in- 
troduced each  character  represented,  and  allowed 
them  to  act  their  part,  and  to  tell  wdiat  they  had  to 
say  in  their  own  language.  No  matter  who  is  the 
speaker,  God,  angels,  devils,  or  men,  all  are  reported, 
where  narration  in  detail  is  admissible,  by  a  repetition 
of  their  own  words. 

"  The  Lord  spake  unto  Moses,  and  told  him  to  com- 
mand the  children  of  Israel  to  be  holy,  for  the  reason 
that  God  is  holy" — No,  sir;  that  was  not  the  mode. 

"The   Lord    spake    unto   Moses,    saying,    Speak 

unto  all  the  congregation  of  the  children  of  Israel, 

6 


(jQ  THE    MODEL    PRE  AC  HER. 

and  say  unto  them,  Ye  shall  be  holy :  for  I  the  Lord, 
your  God,  am  holy." 

"  Hear,  0  heavens,  and  give  ear,  0  earth;  for  the 
Lord  hath  spoken;"  and  what  did  he  say?  He  said 
he  bad  nourished  and  brought  up  children,  and  they 
had  rebelled  against  him,  and  that  they  were  more 
inconsiderate  and  stubborn  than  an  ox  or  an  ass.  No 
abstract  report  of  the  matter,  my  brother.  He  spake 
saying,  "I  have  nourished  and  brought  up  children, 
and  they  have  rebelled  against  me.  "  The  ox  knoweth 
his  owner,  and  the  ass  his  master's  crib,  but  Israel 
.doth  not  knovf,  my  people  doth  not  consider." 

The  prophet  Daniel  says:  "And  while  I  was  speak- 
ing, and  praying,  and  confessing  my  sin,  and  the  sin 
of  my  people  Israel,  and  presenting  my  supplication 
before  the  Lord  my  God,  for  the  holy  mountain  of 
my  God ;  yea,  while  I  was  speaking  in  prayer,  even 
the  man  Gabriel  whom  I  had  seen  in  the  vision  at  the 
beginning,  being  caused  to  fly  swiftly,  touched  me 
about  the  time  of  the  evening  oblation.  And  he  in- 
formed me,  and  talked  with  me,  and  said,  0,  Daniel, 
I  am  now  come  forth  to  give  thee  skill  and  under- 
standing. At  the  beginning  of  tby  supplications  the 
commandment  came  forth,  and  I  am  come  to  show 
thee,  for  thou  art  greatly  beloved;  therefore,  under- 
stand the  matter  and  consider  the  vision.  Seventy 
weeks  are  determined  upon  thy  people  and  upon  thy 
holy  city,  to  finish  the  transgression  and  to  make  an 
end  of  sins,  and  to  make  reconciliation  for  iniquity, 
and  to  bring  in  everlasting  righteousness,  and  to  seal 


SURPRISES.  67 

ap  the  vision  and  prophecy,  and  to  anoint  the  most 
holy."  Daniel  does  not  give  us  an  abstract  rehearsal 
of  what  the  angel  said,  but  lets  us  hear  him  spea,k  in 
his  own  words,  just  as  they  first  fell  from  angelic  lips. 

"Now  there  was  a  day  when  the  sons  of  God  came 
to  present  themselves  before  the  Lord,  and  Satan  came 
also  among  them.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Satan, 
Whence  comest  thou?" 

The  sacred  historian  gives  us  Satan's  reply,  exactly 
in  his  own  words:  "Then  Satan  answered  the  Lord, 
and  said.  From  going  to  and  fro  in  the  earth,  and 
from  walking  up  and  down  in  it." 

"And  in  the  synagogue  there  was  a  man  which  had 
a  spirit  of  an  unclean  devil,"  and  cried  to  Jesus  to  let 
him  alone — No.  "And  cried  out  with  a  loud  voice, 
saying,  Let  us  alone;  what  have  we  to  do  with  thee, 
thou  Jesus  of  Nazareth;  art  thou  come  to  destroy 
us  ?  I  know  thee,  who  thou  art;  the  holy  one  of  God. 
And  Jesus  rebuked  him,  saying,  Hold  thy  peace  and 
come  out  of  him.  And  when  the  devil  had  thrown 
him  in  the  midst  he  came  out  of  him  and  hurt  him 
not.  And  they  were  all  amazed,  and  spake  amiong 
themselves,  saying,  AYhat  a  word  is  this!  for  with 
authority  and  power  he  commandeth  the  unclean  spir- 
its and  they  come  out.  And  the  fame  of  him  went 
out  into  every  place  of  the  country  round  about."  In 
this  example  you  have  the  exact  language  of  Jesus, 
of  the  devils,  of  the  multitude,  and  of  the  writer,  in- 
troducing the  different  characters,  and  describing  the 
effect. 


08  T  n  E    M  0  D  E  L    P  n  E  A.  C  II  E  K . 

When  the  multitudes  hctird  Peter's  pentecostal 
sermon,  "they  were  pricked  in  their  hearts,  and  said 
unto  Peter  and  the  rest  of  the  apostles,  Men  and 
brethren,  Vvdiat  shall  we  do?  Then  Peter  said  unto 
them,  Repent  and  be  baptized,  every  one  of  you,  in 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the  remission  of  sins, 
and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
For  the  promise  is  unto  you  and  to  your  children,  and 
to  all  that  are  afar  off,  even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our 
God  shall  call.  Ant!  Avith  many  other  words  did  he 
testify  and  exhort,  saying,  Save  yourselves  from  this 
untoward  generation." 

In  graphic  description  and  dramatic  effect,  the  Bi- 
ble exceeds  every  other  production  as  far  as  the  sun, 
for  brightness  and  power,  exceeds  the  comets  and 
meteors  that  flash  athwart  the  sky.  The  delineatory 
productions  of  men  are  but  imitations  of  the  grand 
old  model  of  Moses  and  the  prophets.  The  devil 
stole  the  model  and  passed  it  over  to  his  scribes, 
who  were  too  ignorant,  or  too  lazy,  or  too  corrupt,  to 
dig  for  truth,  which  might  have  been  both  interesting 
and  profitable  to  mankind,  and  hence  employed  their 
God-given  powers  of  intellect  and  heart  in  fictitious 
creations.  The  devil  immediately  forged  a  copy-right, 
running  to  the  end  of  time,  covering,  not  only  the 
new  productions  of  tragedies,  comedies,  operas,  and 
novels,  but  the  grand  old  model  itself.  Doctors  of 
Divinity  stood  back  aghast.  Lucifer  had  stolen  their 
thunder — the  instrumental  leverage-power  by  which 
the  Bible    teachers  had   moved   the  world,  and    had 


s  u  R  r  Tv  I  s  E  s .  69 

prostituted  and  applied  it  to  the  lowest,  meanest,  and 
most  soul-destroying  purposes,  carrving  tlie  masses 
by  mere  fiction,  kno^vn  to  be  sucli,  and  nothing  in 
itself;  but  the  manner  of  telling  it,  the  graphic 
power  and  dramatic  effect  which  had  been  borrowed 
from  the  Bible  and  corrupted,  gave  to  fiction  and  fiirce 
their  power.  Teachers  of  religion  were  driven  from 
the  highway  of  popular  sympathy  into  the  regions  of 
abstract  theology  and  metaphysics,  and  lost  their  hold 
on  the  great  masses. 

I  presume  to  say  to  you,  my  brother,  in  confidence, 
that  the  devil  is  the  greatest  monopolist  in  the  uni- 
verse. The  incorrigible  old  squatter  drove  down 
his  stakes  and  laid  claim  to  the  globe — ''all  the  king- 
doms of  the  world  and  the  glory  of  them."  He  had 
the  audacious  temerity  to  maintain  his  squatter  sov- 
ereignty before  Him  who  made  the  world,  and  to 
•whom  the  "earth  and  the  fullness  thereof  belongs," 
trying  to  ignore  his  creative  rights,  and  told  him  to 
his  face,  that  the  only  condition  on  which  he  could 
obtain  power  in  the  world,  was  to  acknowledge  the 
pretended  claims  of  his  diabolical  highness,  saying 
most  patronizingly,  ''  All  these  things  will  I  give  thee 
if  thou  wilt  fall  down  and  worship  me."  He  has  flat- 
tery and  bribes  to  offer  to  political  aspirants  after 
power,  to  this  day. 

The  devil  monopolized  all  the  best  music,  and  so 
covered  it  with  his  diabolical  copy-right  that  the 
Church  was  confined  to  a  few  dry  old  chants,  and  the 
Psalms  of  David  without  any  tunes  to  them,  till  the 


70  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

Wesleys  repudiated  Lis  claims,  ignored  his  copy-riglit, 
and,  in  the  name  of  their  Master,  seized  hold  of  all  the 
good  music  they  could  find,  and  passed  it  over  to  their 
street-preachers  and  young  converts,  saying,  ''  The 
devil  has  no  right  to  all  the  good  music."  Since  that, 
whenever  we  find  a  good  piece  of  music,  we  take  it 
into  a  revival  of  religion  and  have  it  converted,  and 
then  its  cheering  melody  is  heard  along  the  ''king's 
highway,"  from  pilgrims  as  they  journey  to  their 
home  in  heaven. 

Sometimes  we  get  a  few  pieces,  which,  like  our 
stony-ground  converts,  become  very  unprofitable 
stock  to  us,  and  then  we  have  to  make  the  best  we 
can  of  a  bad  bargain.  But  we  do  n't  think  of  giving 
up  the  good  fish,  nor  of  giving  up  the  business,  be- 
cause we  occasionally  find  a  frog  in  the  net. 

But  the  allied  forces  of  hell  have  concentrated 
all  their  diabolic  energies,  especially  to  .suppress 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  or  to  adulterate  it,  or 
at  least  tp  monopolize  the  peculiar  instruments  of 
its  success — the  Bible  naturalness,  simplicity,  and 
graphic  power  with  which  it  was  preached  with  so 
great  success.  Satan  gravely  maintained  that  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel  in  the  world  was  a  viola- 
tion of  his  rights,  and  that  it  must  be  stopped.  To 
this  end,  he  waged  war  against  the  saints,  and 
plaughtered  them  by  the  sword  of  heathen  kings, 
through  a  period  of  three  hundred  years,  with  re- 
lentless cruelty.  The  devil  then  began  to'  distrust 
his  policy;  for  though  the  earth  was  flooded  with  the 


SURPRISES.  71 

blood  of  saints,  their  nuiPibcrs  and  power  were  all 
the  time  increasing.  Every  new  victim  seemed  to 
drop,  from  the  curling  flames  through  which  he  as- 
cended to  heaven,  a  mantle,  which  was  seized  bv  a 
score  who  immediately  stood  up  in  the  place  of  their 
departed  brethren,  as  candidates  for  the  stake  and 
a  martyr's  crown. 

For  a  time  there  was  a  suspension  of  hostilities. 
The  war  counsels  of  hell,  in  secret  conclave  joined, 
were  evidently  devising  some  new  stratagem — what 
it  might  be  none  could  tell.  A  general  amnesty 
was  soon  after  proclaimed,  and  the  devil  marched 
up  to  the  baptismal  altar,  witnessed  a  good  j^rofession, 
and  joined  the  Church.  He  who  "  would  rather  reign 
in  hell  than  serve  in  heaven,"  could  not  be  an  hon- 
orary member,  or  mere  drone.  He  soon  assumed  to 
be  bishop,  and  royal  pope  of  the  whole  fraternity. 
Every  thing  under  his  wise  supervision  was  remod- 
eled. The  old  self-denying,  cross-bearing  modes 
were  ignored;  vforldly  honors  and  wealth  were  poured 
into  the  visible  Church  in  full  tide;  splendid  churches 
were  built;  old  heathen  temples  were  surmounted 
with  the  cross,  and  converted  into  cathedrals ;  the 
former  simple  ^'worship  in  spirit  and  in  truth,"  was 
superseded  by  an  endless  circle  of  forms  and  cere- 
monies. The  Bible  was  withheld  from  the  people, 
and  its  divine  teachings  superseded  by  the  tradi- 
tions of  the  fathers  and  the  mandates  of  the  devil. 
Preaching  was  tolerated,  but  it  must  be  in  Latin, 
BO  as  to  awe  the  common  people  by  its  dark  mys- 


72  THE    MODEL    rHEACnER. 

terics,  und  every  body  must  submit  to  the  new  order 
of  things,  or  be  persecuted  to  the  death.  Thus 
the  devil  held  uninterrupted  sway  in  the  Church  for 
ages,  none  daring  to  call  in  question  his  piety  or 
prerogatives,  except  a  few  bands  of  persecuted  mount- 
aineers, cross-bearers  of  the  original  type. 

I  will  not,  my  brother,  pretend  to  give  you  a  hi.?- 
tory  of  Satan's  religious  professions  and  character, 
for  you  are  well  posted  on  this  subject.  I  will 
simply  add  that,  when  the  Bible  was  again  restored 
to  the  people,  and  they  recovered  the  pure  doctrines 
of  the  Gospel,  his  next  business  was  to  conceal  the 
simple,  effective  Bible  modes  of  preaching  it,  and 
introduce  a  heavy  system  of  abstract  theology,  and 
a  still  more  abstract,  dry  system  of  homiletics. 
Though  the  various  branches  of  the  Church  have  re- 
covered the  Gospel  in  its  purity,  and  have  it  preached 
by  their  living  ministry,  called  of  God,  and  laboring 
earnestly  for  the  salvation  of  souls,  still,  however, 
the  devil  has  laid  his  plans  so  ingeniously,  and  ex- 
ecuted them  so  faithfully,  that  the  power  of  the 
pulpit,  mighty  as  it  has  been  for  two  hundred  years 
past,  has  been,  and  still  is,  sadly  trammeled  by  dry 
forms  and  stiff  modes,  which  do  not  take  hold  of 
the  masses  like  the  preaching  of  John  the  Baptist, 
of  Jesus,  or  his  apostles,  and  their  early  successors. 
A  few  leading  spirits  in  different  ages  have,  by  the 
strength  of  Jesus,  not  only  with  thousands  of  their 
brethren,  embraced  the  sound  saving  doctrines  of  the 
Gospel,  but  also,  in  spite  of  the  devil  and  his  time- 


SURPRISES.  73 

honored  modes,  have  seized  and  used  the  simj^le 
Bible-modes  of  preaching  them.  Thej  thus  became 
men  of  might,  swaying  the  masses  by  the  simplicity 
and  power  of  Gospel  eloquence.  I  will  reserve  their 
illustrious  names  and  modes,  till  after  I  shall  have 
illustrated  to  you   the  model  preacher  and  his  mode. 

7 


74  THE     MODEL    PTIEACIIER. 


LETTER  IV. 

tURPIlISES    APPROPRIATE    TO    THE    PULPIT. 

My  Dear  Brother, — Having  alluded  to  so  great 
a  variety  of  surprises,  you  naturally  inquire,  what 
kind  of  surprise  power  is  appropriate  to  the  pulpit? 
In  trying  to  answer  that  question,  I  will  first  mention 
some  varieties  which  I  consider  inappropriate. 

1.  All  eccentric  oddities  in  words  or  gestures  not 
called  for  by  the  subject  nor  suited  to  the  occasion. 

I  remember,  when  a  boy,  of  hearing  a  preacher  say, 
in  connection  with  a  great  many  singular  contortions 
of  his  face  and  strange  gestures,  "You  may  call  me 
a  wild  man,  or  a  South  American  tiger,  or  an  African 
lion,  or  what  you  please,  but  by  the  grace  of  God  I 
am  a  Methodist  preacher." 

Another  once  arose  and  said  to  his  audience,  "  I 
have  got  up  here  to  display  my  ignorance  before  you 
all."     He  did  all  that  he  proposed  to  do. 

An  old  brother  told  me,  a  few  days  since,  that  he 
once  went  to  Vincennes  to  hear  Lorenzo  Dow  preach 
on  backsliding.  Said  he,  ''An  immense  concourse 
of  people  assembled  in  the  woods,  and  waited  some 
time  for  Dow's  arrival.  Finally  he  made  his  appear- 
ance, and  at  the  time  we  all  expected  the  sermon,  he 
arose,  climbed  up  a  smooth  sapling,  and  cried  out, 
<  Hold  on  there,  Dow,  hold  on.'     Then  he  began  to 


APPROPRIATE    SURPRISES.  75 

elide  down,  now  and  then  stopping,  and  repeating, 
*Hold  on  there,  Dow,  hold  on.'  He  soon  slid  down 
to  the  ground,  and  put  on  his  hat  and  left.  That  was 
all  the  sermon  we  got  that  day." 

In  my  allusions  to  Lorenzo,  I  do  n't  mean  to  cast 
any  reflections  on  his  character  or  precious  memory. 
When  I  was  stationed  in  Georgetown,  D.  C,  a  num- 
ber of  years  ago,  I  took  "reformation  John  Adams," 
of  New  Hampshire,  to  see  Lorenzo's  grave,  in  a  cem- 
etery in  the  northern  suburbs  of  Washington  City. 
Adams  wept  over  it  and  said,  "Precious  man  of 
God,  he  was  my  spiritual  father,  and  I  have  no  doubt 
that  I  will  meet  him  in  heaven." 

Many,  I  have  no  doubt,  will  in  heaven  record 
sweet  memories  of  that  eccentric  servant  of  God; 
but  we  should  not  imitate  his   oddities. 

2.  All  such  as  are  of  a  doubtful  moral  propriety, 
or  likely  to  have  a  demoralizing  effect. 

It  is  said  of  a  celebrated  American  preacEer,  who 
knows  well  hoAV  to  arrest  attention,  and  hold  it,  and 
generally  does  so  by  appropriate  means,  that  on  a 
very  warm  summer  day,  when  he  arose  in  his  pulpit 

to  preach,  his  first  sentence  was,  "  It 's  d d  hot 

this  morning."  That  was  a  sudden  surprise,  which 
arrested  and  astonished  every  hearer.  After  a  mo- 
ment's pause,  he  proceeded,  saying,  "I  heard  that 
shocking  expression  fall  from  the  lips  of  a  man  as 
I  entered  the  church  a  minute  ago."  He  then 
preached  a  withering  sermon  against  the  sin  of  pro- 
fane  swearing.     He  accomplished,  by  that  surprise^ 


76  THE     MODEL     rREACHER. 

all  that  he  designed,  but  at  too  great  a  cost.  Thu 
startling  announcement,  coming  from  such  a  source, 
fixed  so  deep  an  impression  on  the  mind  of  every 
hearer,  especially  of  the  young,  that  his  whole  ser- 
mon could  not  eradicate  it,  nor  neutralize  its  poi- 
sonous effect.  It  rang,  I  doubt  not,  in  the  ears  of 
every  boy  who  heard  it  for  a  week,  and  he  invol- 
untarily repeated  it  to  himself  a  thousand  times, 
and  perhaps  quoted  it  to  others,  and  apologized,  by 

"  Mr. snid  it."    The  effect,  upon  the  whole,  must 

have  been  bad,  decidedly  bad. 

At  a  camp  meeting  I  attended  last  fall  in  Ohio, 
the  brother  who  was  appointed  to  preach  Sunday, 
P.  M.,  arose  in  the  stand  at  the  hour  for  preaching, 
and  said,  "  I  seldom  ever  tell  an  anecdote,  but  for 
the  purpose  of  getting  your  attention,  I  '11  relate 
one.  I  can  not  vouch  for  its  truth,  but  I  give  it  to  you 
V  as  I  got  it."  (Never  tell  a  congregation,  my  brother, 
that  you  wish  to  arrest  their  attention,  or  that  you 
will  relate  an  anecdote.  You  can  do  all  that  much 
more  easily,  and  effectually,  without  a  previous  ad- 
vertisement of  your  design.)  He  then  occupied  about 
fifteen  minutes  in  relating  an  old  Egyptian  legend, 
the  hero  of  which,  in  company  with  his  brother, 
was  a  robber  of  the  king's  treasury.  The  king  set 
a  trap  of  some  kind,  in  which  his  brother  was  caught. 
Then  to  escape  detection  through  his  unfortunate 
brother,  he  cut  off  his  head,  and  took  it  away  with 
him,  leaving  the  body  so  mutilated  that  it  could  not 
be  identified.     By  various  wonderful  deeds  of  rapine 


APPEOPRIATE    SURPRISES.  77 

and  murder — which  the  preacher  described — he  be- 
came so  notorious,  that  the  king  offered  his  daugh- 
ter to  any  man  vfho  would  detect  and  arrest  him. 
The  murderer  was  attracted  by  the  fair  reward, 
sought  the  acquaintance  of  the  king's  daughter,  and 
having  ingratiated  himself  into  her  favor,  gave  him- 
self up  to  her,  as  the  murderer  for  whose  apprehen- 
sion she  was  to  be  the  reward.  He  thus  succeeded 
in  getting  her  for  his  wife,  and  was  promoted  to 
high  ofi5cial  position  by  the  king.  He  appended 
no  moral,  but  told  it  simply  to  arrest  attention. 
It  did  arrest  attention,  but  at  quite  too  great  a  cost, 
for  it  honored  and  rewarded  the  deepest,  darkest 
deeds  of  infamy,  and  had  a  very  bad  moral  effect.^ 

I  was  shocked  and  grieved,  and  especially  surprised, 
that  a  man  of  his  experience  and  ability  should  re- 
sort to  such  means  of  arresting  attention;  for  he  is 
much  more  than  an  ordinary  preacher,  and  could  have 
arrested  attention  by  the  power  of  truth  and  appro- 
priate illustration. 

3.  I  would  set  the  contraband  seal  on  whatever  is 
silly  or  irrelevant. 

An  old  brother,  while  preaching  at  a  camp  meet- 
ing on  one  occasion,  finding  that  his  hearers  were  list- 
less and  sleepy,  stopped  in  the  midst  of  his  discourse, 
and,  after  a  pause  of  sufficient  length  to  cause  them 
all  to  look  up,  pointing  upward, he  said,  "The  fork  of 
that  tree  would  make  a  good  pack-saddle."  He  thus 
arrested  their  attention,  and  then  proceeded  with  his 
sermon.     I  think  that  was  better  than  to  let  them  go 


78  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

to  sleep,  but  it  was  irrelevant,  and  hence  inappropri- 
ate. He  should  have  arrested  attention,  but  he 
should  have  done  it  by  a  surprise  that  would  have 
carried  their  thoughts  and  feelings  to  the  subject  of 
discourse,  and  not  from  it. 

A  brother,  still  living,  was,  on  one  occasion,  preach- 
ing on  the  subject  of  hell.  When  he  was  about  reach- 
ing the  climax  of  his  descriptions  of  the  infernal  re- 
gions, language  seemed  to  fail  under  the  weight  of 
some  wonderful  forthcoming  thought,  when,  after  a 
little  pause,  he  pulled  a  match  out  of  his  pocket,  and, 
striking  it,  held  it  up,  saying,  "Do  you  see  that? 
See  its  blue  blazes  and  curling  smoke;  and,  0,  what 
a  smell!  and  yet  this  is  a  very  small  matter  compared 
with  the  dreadful  hell  to  which  sinners  are  hastening." 
That  was  a  silly  trifling  with  the  subject  and  the  oc- 
casion. 

4.  All  stratagemical  performances  involving  decep- 
tion. 

A  brother,  who  is  a  man  of  considerable  power, 
was  preaching  one  night  to  a  large  audience,  but 
failed  to  arrest  their  attention.  In  the  midst  of  his 
sermon  three  young  men  came  into  church,  to  whom 
he  addressed  himself  as  they  were  entering,  saying: 
"If  I  had  known  that  you  were  coming  in  with  that 
dagger  to  arrest  these  men,  I  could  have  had  the 
whole  matter  amicably  adjusted,  and  avoided  all  this 
trouble."  The  people  were  so  startled  that  many 
sprang  to  their  feet,  and  he  had  to  assure  them  that 
there  was  no  danger,  and  that  he  had  only  adopted 


APPROPRIATE    SURPRISES.  79 

that  plan  to  wake  them  up,  before  he  could  get  them 
quiet.  He  succeeded  in  arresting  attention,  but 
**paid  too  dear  for  the  whistle."  It  was  an  uncertain 
sound  of  the  trumpet.  His  hearers  felt  that  he  had 
been  trifling  with  them,  and  the  reaction  was  very 
unfavorable. 

It  is  said  that,  at  one  time,  when  Lorenzo  Dow 
preached  under  a  large  spruce  pine,  in  South  Caro- 
lina, he  announced  another  appointment  for  preaching 
in  the  same  place,  on  that  day  twelve  months.  The 
year  passed,  and  as  Lorenzo  was  entering  the  neigh- 
borhood the  evening  preceding  his  appointment,  he 
overtook  a  colored  boy  who  was  blowing  a  long  tin 
horn,  and  could,  as  I  have  often  heard  them,  send 
forth  a  blast  with  rise,  and  swell,  and  cadence,  which 
waked  the  echoes  of  the  distant  hills. 

Overtaking  the  blower,  Dow  said  to  him  :  "What's 
your  name,  sir?" 

"My  name  Gabriel,  sir,"  replied  the  brother  in 
ebony. 

"Well,  Gabriel,  have  you  been  to  Church  Hill?" 

"Yes,  massa,  I'se  been  dar  many  time." 

"  Do  you  remember  a  big  spruce  pine-tree  on  that 
hill?" 

"0  yes,  massa,  I  knows  dat  pine." 

"Did  you  know  that  Lorenzo  Dow  had  an  appoint- 
ment to  preach  under  that  tree  to-morrow?" 

"  0  yes,  massa,  every  body  knows  dat." 

"Well,  Gabriel,  I  am  Lorenzo  Dow,  and  if  you'll 
take  your  horn  and  go,  to-morrow  morning,  and  cMmb 


80  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

up  into  that  pine-tree  and  hide  yourself  among  the 
branches  before  the  people  begin  to  gather,  and  \yait 
there  till  I  call  your  name,  and  then  blow  such  a  blast 
"with  your  horn  as  I  heard  you  blow  a  minute  ago,  I  '11 
give  you  a  dollar.     Will  you  do  it,  Gabriel  ?" 

"  Yes,  massa,  I  takes  dat  dollar." 

Gabriel,  like  Zaccheus,  was  hid  away  in  the  tree-top 
in  due  time.  An  immense  concourse  of  persons,  of 
all  sizes  and  colors,  assembled  at  the  appointed  hour, 
and  DoAY  preached  on  the  judgment  of  the  last  day. 
By  his  power  of  description  he  wrought  the  multitude 
up  to  the  opening  of  the  scenes  of  the  resurrection 
and  grand  assize,  at  the  call  of  the  trumpet  peals 
which  were  to  wake  the  sleeping  nations.  Then,  said 
he,  "  Suppose,  my  dying  friends,  that  this  should  be 
the  hour.  Suppose  you  should  hear,  at  this  moment, 
the  sound  of  Gabriel's  trumpet."  Sure  enough,  at 
that  moment  the  trump  of  Gabriel  sounded.  The 
women  shrieked,  and  many  fainted ;  the  men  sprang 
up  and  stood  aghast;  some  ran;  others  fell  and  cried 
for  mercy;  and  all  felt,  for  a  time,  that  the  judgment 
w\as  set,  and  the  books  were  opened.  Dow  stood  and 
watched  the  driving  storm  till  the  fright  abated,  and 
some  one  discovered  the  colored  angel  who  had  caused 
the  alarm,  quietly  perched  on  a  limb  of  the  old  spruce, 
and  wanted  to  get  him  down  to  whip  him,  and  then 
resumed  his  theme,  saying :  "  I  forbid  all  persons 
from  touching  that  boy  up  there.  If  a  colored  boy, 
with  a  tin  horn,  can  frighten  you  almost  out  of  your 
wits,  what  wdll  ye  do  when  you  shall  hear  the  trumpet 


APPROPRIATE     SURPRISES.  81 

thunder  of  the  archangel?  How  will  ye  be  able  to 
stand  in  the  great  day  of  the  wrath  of  God?"  He 
made  a  very  effective  application.  That  was  better 
than  a  long,  dry  sermon,  conveying  no  impression, 
except  that  the  tidings  of  Gospel  mercy  were  of  no 
moment  at  all,  and  sinners  in  no  danger,  or  in  danger 
so  trifling  as  not  to  w\ake  up  the  souls  of  either  the 
preacher  or  his  hearers.  The  deception  involved  in 
the  latter  case  is  quite  as  great,  and  much  more  fatal 
than  the  temporary  deception  of  Dow's  stratagem. 
But  still,  while  that  may  have  been  admissible  for 
Lorenzo  Dow,  such  a  thing,  with  all  kindred  strat- 
agems, is  not  necessary  to  effective  Gospel  preaching, 
and  should  not  be  resorted  to. 

5.  Extravagant  flights  of  fancy,  and  chimerical 
surprises. 

A  modern  preacher  of  considerable  power  and 
great  celebrity,  among  other  fanciful  pictures  drawn, 
on  one  occasion,  for  the  entertainment  of  his  audi- 
ence, represented  an  '^  angel  running  on  a  rainbow 
with  a  basket  of  stars  in  each  hand." 

Another,  speaking  of  a  conveyance  to  the  better 
world,  said,  "  I  will  jump  astride  a  streak  of  light- 
ning, put  spurs  to  it,  and  dash  off  to  glory."  Such 
fancies  may  arrest  attention,  but  represent  no  reality 
in  this  world  or  the  next,  illustrate  no  truth,  convey 
no  definite  instruction,  and  are  hence  inappropriate. 

A  young  preacher  in  Indiana,  I  was  informed,  was 
preaching  to  a  congregation,  two-thirds  of  which 
were   Campbellites,  and  said  in  his  discourse,  ''The 


82  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

Canipbellite  Church  is  the  devil's  drag  net,  which  he 
is  dragging  through  this  world,  raking  up  all  the  tad- 
poles in  creation.  The  next  morning  after  the  res- 
urrection," he  '11  have  a  grand  fry  out  of  you  all/'' 
Many  of  his  audience,  as  might  have  been  expected, 
took  offense,  and  some  of  them  threatened  to  whip 
him.  He  heard  of  their  threats,  and,  the  next  time 
he  preached,  told  them  that  they  need  not  suppose 
they  could  frighten  him;  said  he,  "I  would  not 
be  afraid  if  I  should  meet  your  daddy,  the  devil, 
with  a  head  as  big  as  this  world,  and  hell  fire  flashing 
out  of  both  eyes."  Such  things  display  some  ingenu- 
ity, but  are  foolish  and  offensive,  and  can  produce  no 
good  effect. 

One  of  the  greatest  preachers  of  the  w^est,  whose 
memory  is  still  as  a  sweet  perfume  to  thousands  who 
have  caught  inspiration  from  his  lips,  and  expect  to 
meet  him  in  heaven,  was  preaching  one  night  to  a 
large  audience,  but  failed  for  some  time  to  arrest 
their  attention.  He  knew  the  importance  of  doing 
that  thing,  and  could  not  consent  to  waste  his  time 
and  strength.  Just  as  some  of  his  hearers  were  set- 
tling down  for  a  snooze,  he  paused  till  he  got  them  to 
look  to  sec  if  he  was  still  there,  and  then  exclaimed, 
"•  God  have  mercy  on  your  pot-metal  souls."  Turn- 
ing to  the  venerable  man  behind,  he  said,  "Brother 
Havens,  what  kind  of  souls  have  you  got  here?  I  can't 
do  any  thing  with  them.  I  '1,1  sit  down,  and  let  you 
try  them.  Get  up  here,  brother  Havens,  and  sluice 
hell   and    damnation  upon   them  by  the   hogshead." 


,  APPROPRIATE    SURPRISES.  83 

Brother  Havens  refused  to  get  up,  and  the  preacher 
turned  again  to  his  startled  audience,  and  preached 
a  sermon  which  swept  down  the  sinners  like  men  slain 
on  the  field  of  battle,  till  the  preacher's  voice  was 
drowned  by  their  wailings  of  distress  and  cries  for 
mercy.  His  figure  of  *'  sluicing  hell  and  damnation 
on  the  people,"  was  of  the  chimerical  order ;  but  ex- 
treme cases  require  extreme  measures,  and  such  a 
master  as  he  was  is  the  best  judge  as  to  what  the  oc- 
casion demands;  and  there  were  so  much  thunder  and 
lightning  in  his  surprises,  that  they  proved  them- 
selves to  be  just  the  thing  in  that  case  neces- 
sary to  extraordinary  effect  for  good.  It  would 
not,  however,  be  safe  for  you  or  me  to  try  to 
imitate  him,  and  yet  we  may  gather  a  valuable  les- 
son   from    him. 

6.  All  attempts  at  soaring  above  our  capacity — 
what  Mr.  "Wesley  calls  "  grasping  at  the  stars  and 
sticking  in  the  mud." 

An  Irish  orator  once  said,  in  his  sermon,  "  Could 
I  place  one  foot  upon  the  sea,  and  the  other  upon  the 
Georgiumsidus,  dip  my  tongue  into  the  livid  light- 
nings, and  throw  my  voice  into  the  bellowing  thunder, 
I  would  wake  the  world  with  the  command.  Repent, 
turn  to  God  and  seek  salvation." 

'Tis  said  that  a  friend  of  mine,  thinking  that  very 
sublime,  once  tried  in  the  pulpit  to  take  the  same 
flight,  saying,  ''Could  I  place  one  foot  on  the  sea,  and 
the  other  on — ahem — on  the  Georgiumsidus — ahem, 
ahem — I  'd  howl  round  this  little  world."     He  choked 


84  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

on  the  big  word,  forgot  the  rest,  and  down  he  came 
a  howling. 

A  young  man,  whose  aspirations  for  celebrity  as  a 
preacher  were  only  equaled  by  hi°  want  of  all  the  es- 
sential elements  except  confidence,  and  who  was 
finally  discontinued  from  the  work,  was  once  dis- 
coursing on  the  expansive  character  of  the  human 
mind,  and  said,  "  Yes,  my  friends,  the  mind  of  man 
is  so  expansive  that  it  can  soar  from  star  to  star,  and 
from  satchelite  to  satchelite,  and  from  seraphene  to 
seraphene,  and  from  cherrybeam  to  cherrybeam,  and 
from  thence  to  the  center  of  the  doom  of  heaven." 
We  have  but  few  young  men,  I  think,  who  would 
undertake  such  a  flight  as  that.  One  such  would 
finish  the  reputation  of  any  young  preacher  as  ef- 
fectually as  Mr.  Thurston  was  finished  by  his  last 
balloon   ascension. 

7.  There  is  a  great  deal  of  what  is  known  as  "flow- 
ery preaching" — pretty  sayings,  and  fanciful  figures, 
which  represent  no  specific  truths,  and  illustrate 
nothing  but  the  want  of  ideas.  They  seem  to  be  used 
simply  as  the  ornamental  work  of  the  performance. 
Su  -li  things,  however,  can  not  appropriately  come 
under  the  head  of  surprises;  for  though  they  may 
tickle  the  ear,  they  are  quite  too  light  and  ethereal 
to  wake  up  the  soul,  having  about  the  same  eff'ect  on 
the  conscience  of  a  sinner  as  bird  shot  on  the  hide  of 
a  rhinoceros.  Nearly  akin  to  this,  I  will  add,  tliere 
is  a  highly-rhetorical  style  of  preaching  which  arrests 
attention  and  excites  admiration,  but  is  too  elaborate 


APPROPRIATE    SURPRISES.  85 

and  abstract  to  impress  the  memory,  and  produce 
much  lasting  good. 

The  appropriate  surprise  power  of  any  produc- 
tion, of  the  pulpit  or  the  pen,  is  contained  essen- 
tially in  the  truth  itself,  and  not  simply  in  the  nar- 
ration of  it.  Every  thing,  as  I  have  said  before,  that 
God  has  revealed  to  us  in  his  great  magazine  of 
truth — his  revelations  in  nature,  in  his  providence,  and 
in  his  inspired  word — is  full  of  surprises.  If  "we 
meditate  on  all  his  works,  and  talk  of  his  doings"  cor- 
rectly, and  truthfully  transmit  the  impression  of  them 
to  the  minds  of  our  auditors,  we  will  thus  convey  the 
surprises  just  as  we  receive  them.  But  if  we  run 
God's  simple  truths  through  a  metaphysical  mill,  and 
grind  them  down,  and  then  recast  them  by  the  model 
of  a  great  deal  of  the  abstract  divinity  of  these  days, 
we  will  mar  and  caricature  all  God's  beautiful  forms 
of  truth,  and  render  the  truth  itself  pointless  and 
powerless. 

In  my  opinion,  many  misguided  friends  of  re- 
ligion thus  murder  the  virgin  of  Truth,  tear  the 
flesh  oif  her  bones,  and  then  dress  up  her  skele- 
ton according  to  their  own  ideas  of  ministerial  dig- 
nity, and  then  bring  her  out  for  exhibition  in  splen- 
did widely-expanded  silk  and  satin.  Some  gaze 
with  admiration,  some  cry,  "Great  is  Diana  of  the 
Ephesians,"  and  some  go  up  and  draw  aside  her  vail, 
and  find,  alas !  that  she  is  dead — a  pack  of  bones 
exceedingly  dry. 

But   to   the   question.     The    appropriate  surprise 


86  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

power  of  the  pulpit,  my  brother,  you  "vvill  find,  firsts 
in  the  essential  truth  of  God,  which  you  wish  to 
communicate  to  the  people ;  and,  seeondj  in  the  facts 
and  illustrations  you  may  employ  to  assist  you  in 
arresting  attention,  and  in  conveying  the  truth  to 
the  heads  and  hearts  of  your  hearers.  Gospel  truth, 
with  its  essential  surprises,  was  much  more  effective 
in  arresting  attention  on  its  first  announcement,  tlmn 
it  can  ordinarily  be,  after  its  frequent  repetition 
to  the  same  persons.  The  simple  announcement  of 
new  doctrines,  so  directly  opposite  to  the  popular 
standards  of  the  times,  had  a  startling  effect.  In 
this  regard,  the  early  teachers  of  Christianity  had  a 
great  advantage  over  the  modern.  Take  for.  ex- 
ample a  few  specimens  of  the  Savior's  sermon  on 
the  mount. 

The  scribes  and  Pharisees  claimed  to  be  the  most 
pious  people  under  the  sun,  but  Jesus  publicly  de- 
nounced them  as  hypocrites,  saying,  "For  I  say  unto 
you,  that  except  ^owv  righteousness  shall  exceed  the 
righteousness  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  ye  shall 
in  no  case  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 

The  D.  D.'s  of  those  days  confined  the  application 
of  the  moral  law  to  the  outward  life,  and  even  in 
that  regard  sanctioned  so  many  invasions  of  its 
authority,  as  to  render  it  nugatory,  making  the  word 
of  God  of  none  effect  by  their  traditions. 

They  taught,  saying,  "Thou  shalt  not  kill."  Jesus 
taught,  as  summed  up  in  the  language  of  the  beloved  dis- 
ciple, "  Whosoever  hateth  his  brother  is  a  murderer." 


APPROPRIATE    SURPRISES.  87 

They  applied  the  law  to  the  overt  act,  saying, 
"  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery." 

Jesus  taught,  "  That  whosoever  looketh  on  a  woman 
to  lust  after  her,  hath  committed  adultery  with  her 
already  in  his  heart." 

They  said,  "  Whosoever  shall  put  away  his  wife,  let 
him  give  her  a  writing  of  divorcement."  Even  Jose- 
phus,  the  celebrated  Jewish  historian,  in  his  life, 
tells  us,  with  the  utmost  coolness  and  indifference, 
"About  this  time,  I  put  away  my  wife,  who  had  borne 
me  three  children,  not  being  pleased  with  her  man- 
ners." 

Hear  the  great  Teacher  on  that  subject:  "But  I  say 
unto,  you,  That  whosoever  shall  put  away  his  wife, 
saving  for  the  cause  of  fornication,  causeth  her  to 
commit  adultery;  and  whosoever  shall  marry  her 
that  is  divorced,  committeth  adultery." 

They  sanctioned  a  great  variety  of  profane  swear- 
ing, and  taught  that,  unless  they  swore  by  the  Lord 
directly,  they  might  with  impunity,  without  incurring 
any  obligation  or  guilt,  swear  by  heaven,  by  the 
earth,  "by  the  temple,  by  the  gold  of  the  temple,  etc. 

But  Jesus  commands,  "  Swear  not  at  all ;  neither  by 
heaven,  for  it  is  God's  throne ;  nor  by  the  earth,  for 
it  is  his  footstool ;  neither  by  Jerusalem,  for  it  is 
the  city  of  the  great  king ;  neither  shalt  thou  swear 
by  thy  head,  because  thou  canst  not  make  one  hair 
white  or  black.  But  let  your  communication  be,  yea, 
yea;  nay,  nay;  for  whatsoever  is  more  than  these 
cometh  of  evil." 


88  T  II  E    ]M  0  D  E  L    P  E  E  A  C  II  E  R  . 

They  perverted  the  law  of  equal  justice :  "  An  eye 
for  an  eye,  and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth ;"  designed  to  reg- 
ulate the  decisions  of  the  magistrate,  to  a  divine  au- 
thorization of  all  sorts  of  personal  retaliation  and 
revenge. 

*'But  I  say  unto  you,"  proclaimed  the  great  Teach- 
er, "That  ye  resist  not  evil,  but  whosoever  shall  smite 
thee  on  thy  right  cheek,  turn  to  him  the  other  also. 
And  if  a  man  sue  thee  at  law,  and  take  away  thy 
coat,  let  him  have  thy  cloak  also.  And  whosoever 
shall  compel  thee  to  go  a  mile,  go  with  him  twain : 
give  to  him  that  asketh  thee,  and  from  him  that  would 
borrow  of  thee  turn  not  thou  away." 

'They  taught  that  they  were  bound  to  love  their 
friends,  and  members  of  their  own  Church,  and  hate 
every  body  else  with  a  perfect  hatred,  contemptu- 
ously calling  them  dogs. 

Jesus  knocks  the  underpinning  from  that  refuge 
of  lies  also,  saying,  "  But  I  say  unto  you.  Love  your 
enemies,  bless  them  that  cui^e  you,  do  good  to  them 
that  hate  you,  and  pray  for  them  which  despitefuUy 
use  you,  and  persecute  you;  that  ye  may  be  the 
children  of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven ;  for  ho 
maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good, 
and  scndeth  rain  on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust. 
For  if  ye  love  them  which  love  you,  what  reward 
have  ye?  Do  not  even  the  publicans  the  same? 
And  if  ye  salute  your  brethren  only,  what  do  ye 
more  than  others?  Do  not  even  the  publicans 
so?     Bo  ye  therefore  perfect,  even  as  your  Father, 


APPROPRIATE  SURPRISES.       89 

which  is  in  heaven  is  perfect."  From  the  heart- 
searching  application  of  the  law,  the  Savior  next 
proceeds  in  his  discourse,  to  the  outward  manifesta- 
tion of  the  inward  life — to  works  of  mercy  and  works 
of  piety.  Every  announcement  was  startlingly  an- 
tagonistic to  all  the  popular  notions  of  the  day. 
When  to  the  teachings  of  Jesus  were  added  the 
wonderful  tidings  of  his  resurrection  and  ascension, 
the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  full  development 
of  Gospel  truth  and  Gospel  appliances,  and  their 
astonishing  success  in  saving  souls,  the  preaching 
of  the  Gospel  became  the  greatest  attraction  of  the 
age ;  startling,  convincing,  and  reforming  the  people 
by  the  hundred  thousand. 

So,  after  the  truth  had  been  hid  from  the  nations 
during  the  dreary  night  of  the  dark  ages,  the  simple 
theses  of  Luther  went  like  thunderbolts  to  the  con- 
sciences of  the  people.  Millions  of  souls  responded 
and  rallied  to  the  standard  of  the  reformer. 

How  the  pure  doctrines  of  the  Gospel,  brought  up 
from  the  rubbish  and  filth  of  ages,  by  Wesley  and  his 
coadjutors  in  the  great  reformation  of  the  eight- 
eenth century,  and  preached  in  original  simplicity, 
struck  the  world  with  surprise,  and  sent  forth  its  liv- 
ing waters  for  the  healing  of  the  nations  ! 

But,  notwithstanding  the  surprise  powder  contained 
in  Gospel  truth  itself,  and  especially  on  its  first  an- 
nouncement, the  Savior  and  his  apostles  show  always 
the  difficulty  and  essential  necessity  of  arresting  at- 
tention, by  the  various  means  they  employed  to  wake 


90  THEMODELPREACHER. 

up  tlieir  hearers.  Tlicy  employed  surprise  nates  of 
attention— " Hearken  !"  "Behold!  behold!"  "Ver- 
ily, verily  I  say  unto  you."  They  employed,  also, 
partly  for  the  same  purpose,  an  endless  variety  of 
startling  facts,  and  literal  figures  from  real  life.  If 
these  collateral  modes  just  named  were  necessary  to 
arrest  attention  when  Gospel  truth  was  so  fresh  and 
startling  in  itself,  how  much  more  necessary  are  they 
now  that  the  truths  of  the  Gospel  are  so  familiar  to 
the  minds  of  the  masses  ! 

I  do  n't  mean  to  say,  my  brother,  that  the  living 
Gospel  of  Jesus  has  lost  any  of  its  inherent  freshness 
or  power,  but  the  words,  the  doctrinal  formulas  of  the 
Gospel,  and  especially  the  abstract  recasting  of  them, 
have  become  familiar  to  the  minds  of  the  people, 
and  the  repetition  of  them  fails  to  arrest  attention. 

The  ivords  of  the  Bible  were  written  under  the  in- 
spiration of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  are,  hence,  always 
invaluable  and  true;  still  they  are  but  the  shell,  and 
not  the  kernel ;  the  shadow,  and  not  the  substance ; 
the  unerring  delineation  of  the  vital  thing,  but  not 
the  thing  itself;  the  body,  but  not  the  soul. 

A  great  deal  of  the  scholastic  divinity  of  modern 
days  has  but  a  very  small  sprinkling  of  even  the 
shells  of  Gospel  truth,  but  little  of  the  shadow,  and 
much  less  of  the  substance,  pointing  out  to  a  poor 
blind  sinner  the  way  to  heaven  about  as  clearly  aa 
Don  Quixotte's  windmills. 

A  great  many  preachers  who  "hold  fast  the  form 
of  sound  words,"  and  preach  the  pure  doctrines  of 


APPROPRIATE  SURPRISES.       91 

tlie  Gospel — and  it  lias  often  been  so  with  myself — 
nevertheless  fail  to  preach  ''in  demonstration  of  the 
spirit  and  of  power."  It  is,  however,  a  truth,  which 
I  suppose  all  admit,  that  the  novelty  of  Gospel 
preaching,  when  first  proclaimed,  gave  to  the  primi- 
tive preachers  a  great  advantage  not  enjoyed  by  their 
modern  brothers,  in  the  matter  of  arresting  attention. 
We  have,  to  be  sure,  some  compensative  advantage 
over  our  ancient  brothers,  in  the  cumulative  evidence 
•of  the  truth  and  power  of  the  Gospel  furnished  in 
the  history  of  its  conquests  in  the  world. 

But  the  advantage  they  had  over  us  in  arresting  at- 
tention by  the  novelty  of  Gospel  truth,  we  should  sup- 
ply by  the  use  of  those  collateral  modes  before  men- 
tioned— fresh,  thrilling  facts  and  figures  drawn  from 
the  material  world,  the  daily  manifestations  of  Provi- 
dence, the  developments  of  humanity  in  all  its  forms 
and  phases,  as  delineated  in  the  Scriptures,  and  re- 
vealed in  every-day  life  within  us  and  all  around  us, 
and  from  the  movements  of  the  present,  living, 
mighty  God  of  the  Gospel  marching  at  the  head  of 
the  armies  of  Israel  in  the  world. 

I  will  now  repeat  what  I  said  before.  The  appro- 
priate surprise  power  of  the  pulpit  is  contained,  first, 
in  the  truth  of  the  Gospel  itself;  and,  second,  in  the 
facts  and  illustrations  you  may  employ  to  assist  you 
in  arresting  attention,  and  in  conveying  the  truth  to 
the  understanding  and  hearts  of  your  hearers.  I 
have  much  to  say  in  regard  to  the  illustrations. which 
I  consider  appropriate  to  the  pulpit ;  but  as  I  have  al- 


92  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

rca.ilv  drawn  oat  this  letter  to  an  undue  extent,  I  will 
give  you  my  thoughts  on  this  latter  division  of  this 
subject,  after  I  shall  have  introduced  to  you  the 
Model  Preacher^  and  his  modes. 


niS    CHARACTERISTICS.  93 


LETTEE  V. 

THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

My  Dear  Brother, — You  desire  to  know  whom  I 
select  as  my  model.  Some  of  my  friends  have  been 
trying  to  anticipate  me  by  guessing,  and  have  nom- 
inated a  number  of  celebrated  men — such  as  White- 
field,  Spurgeon,  Henry  Yfard  Beecher,  J.  P.  Durbin, 
Bishop  Simpson,  and  others. 

There  are  many  model  preachers  these  days,  work- 
men great  and  good,  who  need  not  be  ashamed,  and 
who  are  not  ashamed  to  defend  the  right,  and  would 
stand  for  God  'mid  fire,  flood,  and  death,  if  put  to 
the  test. 

I  need  not  name  the  many  who  are  regarded  as 
models  by  various  parties  of  difi"erent  tastes.  I  will, 
however,  insert  a  poetic  description  of  a  model 
preacher,  composed  by  Sanford  P.  Cox,  Esq.,  of 
Lafayette,  la.  Brother  Cox  is  by  profession  a  law- 
yer, and  not  a  poet,  and  yet  there  are  many  bearing 
the  name  with  much  less  poetic  genius  than  he  pos- 
sesses. By  the  way,  I  am  told  he  is  about  to  publish 
a  volume  of  his  original  poems,  which  I  hope  will 
justly  entitle  him  to  worthy  rank  among  American 
poets. 

The  occasion  suggesting  the  following  poem  was  a 
sermon  preached  by  Rev.  Richard   Hargrave,  at  a 


94  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

camp   meeting    held  near   Shawnee  Prairie,  la.,  up- 
ward of  twenty  years  ago  : 

THE     EVANGELIST. 

Awhile  he  stood,  absorb'd  in  tho't  profound  ; 
Deep  and  momentous  was  the  awful  theme 
That  struggled  in  his  plulantliropic  breast, 
Where  all  the  finer  attributes  of  soul 
In  hormony  most  sweet,  commingling  grew  : 
And  Faith  and  Hope,  deep-rooted  and  serene, 
Beam'd  from  his  countenance  and  steadfast  eye 
As  round  he  gazed,  solemnly  and  meek. 
As  angels  gaze,  when  kneeling  at  the  throne. 

Then  from  his  lips,  attun'd  to  strains  divine. 
And  themes  most  worthy  of  the  deep  research 
Of  him  who  deals  the  sacred  lore  of  heaven, 
Flow'd  in  sweet  numbers,  and  convincing  power, 
Each  paragraph  of  truth — empyrean  truth. 
Strong  with  the  potent  eloquence  of  heaven  : 
For  't  was  from  thence  the  oracle  came  down — 
,  A  transcript  of  the  Eternal's  righteous  will. 

Who,  in  his  goodness  vast,  vouclisaf 'd  to  man 
Wisdom  sufficient,  if  improved,  to  gain 
A  knowledge  suitable,  and  just,  of  Him 
Who  spoke  from  Chaos'  dark  dominions. 
Of  blackness  vast,  and  void  immensity, 
InnilTiierous  worlds,  illuminated  spheres. 
And  shining  orbs,  and  blazing  satellites; 
And  o'er  tliera  all  proclaimed  his  righteous  laws. 
That  should  each  govern,  in  its  grand  career. 
Circling  through  heaven  ;  and  unto  those 
Iligh-favorcd  beings,  with  his  goodness  crown'd, 
Tliat  should  inhabit  and  admire  these  spheres. 
As  he  had  right  to  do. 

Man's  primal  purity  first  loud  he  rung 
In  witching  melody,  as  if  Uie  lyro 


HIS     CHARACTERISTICS.  95 

Of  sonio  brigLt  seraph,  liovL-ring  round  Lliis  sphere. 

Had  wak'd  Doxologies,  or  lent  a  strain 

To  thrill  this  ball  with  cadence  heavenly  sweet. 

He  spoke  of  Eden's  sunny  bowers,  and  trees 

Crowned  with  celestial  fruits,  v.'hose  leaves 

Of  heavenly  emerald  were  wont  to  drink 

Ambrosial  sweetness,  teeming  from  on  high, 

And  glittering  mildly  as  ihe  new-made  sun 

Rode  up  the  eastern  sky  in  car  of  gold, 

To  flood  creation  with  his  broad,  bright  smile. 

As  God  had  bade,  to  intimate  to  man 

His  approbation  of  the  sinless  world. 

As  yet  unmarred,  and  undefiled  by  man  ; 

And  spoke  of  streams  that  glided  gently  through 

Elysian  groves,  and  flower-embroider'd  plains, 

"Where  no  fell  herb,  of  poisonous  juice,  distill'd 

iJuwholesorae  odors  'midst  the  gentler  flowers  ; 

liTor  thorn,  nor  thistle  grew. 

Then  of  the  Fall— rebellious  act  of  man, 

That  call'd  its  dark  grim  colleague,  Death, 

From  his  dread  lair,  to  plant  aloft 

His  sable  colors,  inscribed  "  Mortality," 

O'er  blooming  wreaths,  where  erst,  and  lately  flow'd 

In  light  divine,  and  balmy  winds  of  heaven. 

The  flag  of  endless  life  and  innocence. 

Then  of  Redemption  spoke,  with  lips  of  fire. 

And  ardor,  kindling  high,  and  holy  awe. 

As  he  portrayed,  in  diction  apt,  and  heavenly  phrase, 

The  pathos  deep,  of  an  offended  Goi). 

Who,  to  maintain  the  honor  of  his  throne, 

And  broken  laws,  and  rescue  man  from  death — 

Eternal  death,  did,  in  his  condescension  vast. 

And  mercy  infinite,  throw  round  himself — 

The  eternal  great  I  Air,  the  menial  garb 

^Yhich  sin-stain'd  mortals  wear,  and  thus  abas'd, 

Came  bending  from  the  skies — 


96  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

From  bis  own  court  of  majesty  supreme, 
-Where  angel  choirs  celestial  anthems  swell, 
And  from  their  golden  harps,  which  never  fail. 
Pour  through  the  empyrean  ceaseless  strains  of  love  • 
And  offered  his  own  sacred  person  on  the  cross  ; 
Proffering  back  immortality  to  man. 

God  hung  upon  a  cross  ! 

While  angels  mourned,  if  grief  can  enter  heaven, 

And  earth,  convulsed  and  trembling  on  its  poles, 

Rock'd  to  and  fro  in  throes  of  burning  shame  ; 

While  Phoebus,  blushing  to  behold  the  scene, 

Shut  in  his  radiance,  folded  all  his  beams, 

And  beckon'd  to  the  clouds  to  come  and  aid. 

By  "weeping  freely  o'er  expiring  God  ! 

On,  in  confusion,  rush'd  the  weeping  clouds," 

Led  on  their  path  by  fitful  streams  of  light. 

That  'scap'd  from  heaven's  inconstant  flambeau's  glare 

That  rous'd  from  far,  and  every  bourne  of  lieaven, 

The  potent  thunders  of  the  universe. 

Which,  wildly  raving  through  each  hollow  vault, 

Wak'd  every  sphere,  however  distant  far. 

That  God  had  made,  and  bade  them  come  and  mourn  , 

Till  every  planet,  orb,  and  distant  world, 

Kesponsive  waird,and  in  their  track  stood  still, 

Transfix'd  in  woe,  and  quivering  to  behold 

Jehovah  bruis'd,  and  bleeding  for  this  world. 

Wor  need  I  now,  in  labor'd  strains,  rehearse 

His  melting  story  of  the  rising  God, 

Who,  ere  three  days  had  settled  nature's  mien. 

Rose  in  their  aid,  triumphant  from  the  tomb. 

And  cast  a  smile  of  bright  salvation  round. 

That  pierced  the  tomb  of  many  a  sleeping  saint. 

Who  shouting  rose,  put  on  immortal  life. 

And  witli  the  Lamb,  triumphing,  entered  lieaven  ; 

Leaving  behind  a  record  5^f  his  will, 

Wliich  the  meek  preacher  wav'd,  and  sternly  said. 

This  is  God's  Law — Man's  Polar  Star  to  Heaven  , 


HIS     CHARACTERISTICS.  97 

That  is  the  description  of  a  model  preacher,  but 
not  of  the  model  preacher.     Who  then  is  the  model  ? 

Jesus  was  a  great  preacher.  He  understood  his 
business,  and  furnished  a  model  for  all  his  embassa- 
dors to  work  by,  to  the  end  of  the  world. 

In  presenting  a  point  or  proposition,  or  in  defining 
and  enforcing  a  duty,  his  plan  was  first  to  state  the 
subject  clearly,  in  the  fewest  and  simplest  words  pos- 
sible— then  illustrate — then  apply.  When  argument 
was  necessary,  it  was  of  the  same  pointed,  practical 
character  of  his  illustrations. 

For  example,  when  preaching  on  the  subject  of 
prayer,  he  said,  "Men  ought  always  to  pray,  and  not 
to  faint."  He  spent  no  time  in  telling  them  what  the 
old  dead  Greeks  and  Romans  had  said  on  the  subject 
a  thousand  years  before,  nor  in  proving  what  was 
self-evident  to  all  his  hearers.  He  took  it  for  granted 
that  they  understood  what  he  meant,  when  he  said 
men  ought  always  to  pray  and  not  to  faint,  and  hence 
proceeds  at  once  to  illustrate  an  essential  character- 
istic of  prayer — namely,  importunity — "saying.  There 
was  in  a  city  a  judge,  which  feared  not  God,  neither 
regarded  man."  (We  have  a  few  more  left  of  the 
same  sort.)  The  ears  of  every  old  man  and  little  boy 
in  the  congregation  were  open  to  hear  about  that  judge. 

"  And  there  was  a  widow  in  that  city,  and  she  came 
unto  him,  saying.  Avenge  me  of  mine  adversary." 
Every  heart  was  now  in  sympathy  with  the  poor 
widow,  and  burning  to  know  the  result  of  her  suit 
against  the  extortionary  wretch  who,  probably,  on  an 
9 


98  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

overcharge  for  room  rent,  or  otlierAvise,  was  about  to 
take  aAvay  her  bed  and  turn  her  out  of  doors.  Tho 
judge,  at  first,  refused  to  entertain  the  case,  but  she 
continued  to  cry,  "Avenge  me  of  mine  adversary. 
And  he  would  not  for  awhile  :  but  afterward  he  said 
within  himself,  Though  I  fear  not  God  nor  regard 
man;  yet,  because  this  widow  troubleth  me,  I  will 
avenge  her,  lest  by  her  continual  coming  she  weary 
me."  This  he  said  within  himself,  but  Jesus  heard 
him  say  it.  "And  the  Loi-d  said.  Hear  what  the  un- 
just judge  saith."  All  eyes,  and  ears,  and  hearts 
were  open.     They  heard  it  all,  and  felt  it,  too. 

Having  driven  a  nail  in  a  sure  place,  he  proceeds 
at  once  to  clinch  it  with  his  application,  saying,  "And 
shall  not  God  avenge  his  0Y,n  elect,  which  cry  day 
and  night  unto  him,  though  he  bear  long  with  them  ? 
I  tell  you  he  will  avenge  them  speedily." 

Observe  the  naturalness  of  his  touching  appeal  to 
their  filial  hepes  :  '^  I  tell  you  that  he  will  avenge  them 
speedily." 

He  then,  without  any  formality,  proceeds  to  illus- 
trate another  essential  characteristic  of  prayer — name- 
ly, liiimility — adapting  that  part  of  his  discourse  to 
certain  persons  in  the  congregation,  "  Avhicli  trusted 
in  themselves  that  they  were  righteous,  and  despised 
others :"  saying,  "  Two  men  went  up  in  the  temple  to 
pray ;  the  one  a  Pharisee  and  the  other  a  publican" — 
definite  in  his  locality  and  personality,  every  hearer 
could,  in  his  mind,  see  the  temple,  and  see  the  two 
men  walking  up.     "The  Pharisee  stood  and  prayed 


HIS    CHARACTERISTICS.  99 

thus  with  himself,  God,  I  thank  thee  that  I  am  not  as 
other  men  are,  extortioners,  unjust,  adulterers,  or 
even  as  this  publican.  I  fast  t^yice  in  the  week,  I 
give  tithes  of  all  that  I  possess."  The  long-faced 
fellow  presented  no  petition  at  all.  He  was  good 
enough,  and  only  wanted  to  tell  the  Lord  how  extra- 
ordinarily pious  he  was. 

"  The  publican,  standing  afar  off,  would  not  lift  up 
so  much  as  his  eyes  unto  heaven,  but  smote  upon  his 
breast,  saying,  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner.  I 
tell  you,  this  man  went  down  to  his  house  justified, 
rather  than  the  other." 

Then  comes  his  application,  as  in  the  other  case. 
He  does  not  wait  to  bring  it  up  in  separate  proposi- 
tions at  the  close  of  his  sermon,  but  strikes  every 
time  while  the  iron  is  hot.  ^' For  every  one  that 
exalteth  himself" — like  that  Pharisee — "shall  be 
abased;  and  he  that  humbleth  himself" — like  that 
poor  publican — "  shall  be  exalted." 

On  another  occasion,  when  Jesus  was  preaching  on 
the  same  subject,  he  especially  illustrated  the  import- 
ance of  importunity.  "And  he  said  unto  them, 
Which  of  you  shall  have  a  friend,  and  shall  go  unto 
him  at  midnight,  and  say  unto  him.  Friend,  lend  me 
three  loaves:  for  a  friend  of  mine  in  his  journey  is 
come  to  me,  and  I  have  notliin!;  to  set  before  him. 
And  he  from  within  shall  answer  and  say.  Trouble  me 
not :  the  door  is  now  shut,  and  my  children  are  with 
me  in  bed;  I  can  not  rise  and  give  thee.  I  say  unto 
you,  Though  he  will  not  rise  and  give  him,  because  he 


100  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

is  his  friend,  yet  because  of  his  importunity  he  will 
rise  and  give  him  as  many  as  he  needeth. 

"  And  I  say  unto  you,  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given 
you;  seek,  and  ye  shall  find;  knock,  and  it  shall  be 
opened  unto  you.  For  every  one  that  asketh,  receiv- 
eth ;  and  he  that  seeketh,  findeth ;  and  to  him  that 
knocketh,  it  shall  be  opened."  If  the  door  of  mercy 
is  not  opened  at  once,  let  him  continue  to  knock  like 
the  man  who  wanted  to  borrow  the  three  loaves.  "It 
shall  be  opened  " — God  hath  said  it.  The  preacher, 
by  that  life-picture,  arrested  the  attention  of  all  his 
hearers,  and  then  added  another  which  tapped  the 
fountains  of  every  heart. 

'''-  If  a  son  shall  ask  bread  of  any  of  you  that  is  a 
father,  will  he  give  him  a  stone ;  or  if  he  ask  a  fish, 
will  he,  for  a  fish,  give  him  a  serpent ;  or  if  he  shall 
ask  an  Qgg^  will  he  offer  him  a  scorpion?"  Can  the 
father  be  found,  who,  having  listened  to  the  cry  of  his 
starving  child — "0  father,  give  me  a  piece  of  bread, 
please  give  me  a  piece  of  bread" — will  not  only  re- 
fuse bread,  but  frighten  the  poor  child  to  death  by 
throwing  a  snake  on  it? 

How  comforting  the  application  of  the  Master,  in 
these  words,  ''If  ye,  then,  being  evil,  knoAv  how  to 
give  good  gifts  unto  your  children,  how  much  more 
shall  your  heavenly  Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit" — all 
good  gifts  in  one — "  to  them  that  ask  him  ?" 

I  have  given  these  as  specimens  of  tlie  naturalness, 
simplicity,  and  point  of  the  Savior's  preaching.  Ac- 
cording   to    the    stiff    standard  of    sermonizing  that 


HIS    CHARACTERISTICS.  101 

many  adopt,  we  would  take  the  great  Teacher's  ser- 
mon on  prayer,  and  strip  from  it  all  the  simple 
drapery  with  which  the  Master  clothed  it,  abstract 
the  truth,  and  draw  it  out  into  a  sermonical  arrange- 
ment, with  as  many  heads  and  horns  as  some  of 
those  monstrous  animals  which  Daniel  saw  in  vision, 
and  have  it  as  dry  as  Gideon's  dewless  fleece,  so  ab- 
stract and  ethereal,  at  least,  that  most  of  it  would  evap- 
orate above  the  sleepy  heads  of  our  listless  hearers, 
and  hardly  one  drop  of  it  fall  down  into  their  hearts. 

Now,  my  dear  brother,  I  wish  you  to  understand, 
distinctly,  that  I  am  not  opposed  to  systematic  study, 
nor  to  systematic  preaching.  There  is  a  natural  and 
a  logical  order  of  truth,  and  you  may  state  the  points, 
and  number  them  too,  when  necessary  to  clearness 
and  efiiciency. 

Sermonizing  is  but  a  means  to  that  end,  and  not 
the  end  itself.  It  is  but  the  scaffolding,  and  not  the 
building.  If  the  end  of  preaching  may,  in  any  in- 
stance, be  more  directly  attained  without  formal  ser- 
monizing, do  not  lose  your  time,  nor  incumber  your 
message  with  needless  formality;  if  necessary,  let 
the  necessity  determine  the  extent  of  its  use.  But 
the  practice  of  sacrificing  nearly  every  thing  neces- 
sary to  the  success  of  Gospel  preaching  for  the  mere 
idea  of  being  a  systematic  sermonizer  is  a  humbug, 
nay,  a  sin  against  the  souls  of  perishing  men  and 
women.  I  opened  a  book  of  sermons,  a  few  days 
since,  and  the  first  one  I  glanced  at  contained  forty- 
two  divisions,  all  numbered.     What  time  has  such  a 


102  THE     MODEL     T  R  E  A  C  II  E  R  . 

preacher  left  for  the  illustration  and  application  of 
truth?  The  great  Teacher's  model  for  Gospel 
preaching  embraces  five  essential  characteristics: 

I.  Clearness. — Clearness  of  perception,  and  hence 
clearness  of  statement,  illustration,   and  application. 

II.  Earnestness. — Earnestness  of  thought  and 
feeling,  burdening  and  thrilling  the  soul  of  the 
preacher. 

III.  Naturalness. — ^Naturalness  of  delivery,  em- 
bracing gesture,  tones  of  voice,  every  thing  pertaining 
to  the  act  of  proclaiming  the  tidings  of  mercy  to  the 
souls  of  the  people. 

lY.  Literalness. — Literal  facts  demonstrating  the 
truth  and  power  of  the  Gospel,  and  literal  figures 
from  real  life,  illustrating  the  great  principles  of  the 
Gospel. 

V.  Appropriateness. — A  -wise  selection  and  adap- 
tation of  truth  to  the  varied  condition  of  the  hearers. 

I  Tfill  take  up  these  characteristics  or  essential 
elements  of  power  in  the  order  in  which  I  have 
stated  them,  and,  to  some  extent,  illustrate  them  sep- 
arately, and  then  bring  them  out  in  their  harmonious, 
symmetrical"  combinatit)n,  as  the  model  of  Jesus,  for 
efficient  Gospel  preaching,  and  then,  by  a  careful 
test,  show  its  conformity  to  the  examples  furnished 
by  Christ  and  his  apostles. 


CLEARNESS.  103 


LETTER    YI. 

CLEARNESS. 

My  Dear  Brother, — I  wish  to  illustrate  the  char 
acteristics  of  the  Master's  model  in  the  order  in 
which  I  have  stated  them,  beginning  with  clearness — 
a  clear  perception  and  understanding  of  the  subject 
of  discourse,  and  clear  conceptions  of  the  points  you 
wisli  to  make,  and  of  the  arguments  and  illustrations 
you  may  wish  to  emplo}^  You  will  then  be  able  to 
state  your  points  clearly — often  in  axiomatic  form — 
and,  through  the  whole  discourse,  sho^v  a  facility  and 
an  appropriateness  of  illustration  which  must  arrest 
attention,  convey  instruction,  carry  conviction  to  the 
conscience,  and  produce  good  effect. 

If  you  discourse  on  any  scientific  question,  your 
success  will  depend,  essentially,  first,  on  your  clear 
understanding  of  the  subject,  or  that  particular 
phase  of  it  on  which  you  wish  to  speak.  You  can 
then  present  every  part  of  your  discourse  with  trans- 
parent definiteness. 

So,  also,  in  speaking  on  political  economy,  temper- 
ance, or  any  other  subject. 

To  preach  the 'Gospel  with  clearness,  you  must,  in 
addition  to  a  clear,  theoretical  knowledge  of  the 
questions,  or  doctrines,  you  wish  to  advocate,  have 
the   illumination    of    the   Holy    Spirit.       The   Holy 


104  THE    MODEL    P  R  E  A  C  II  E  K  . 

Ghost  has  been  sent  into  the  world  for  this  very  pur 
pose — to  enlighten  and  purify  the  embassadors  of 
Christ,  and  accompany  their  message  with  clearness 
and  eJBfect  to  the  hearts  of  their  hearers. 

In  one  of  those  comforting  farewell  sermons  of 
Jesus,  he  said  to  his  disconsolate  little  flock,  "Let 
not  your  hcvart  be  troubled ;  ye  believe  in  God,  believe 
also  in  me.  In  my  Father's  house  are  many  man- 
sions. If  it  were  not  so,  I  would  have  told  you.  I 
go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you.  And  if  I  go  and 
prepare  a  place  for  you,  I  will  come  again  and  re- 
ceive you  unto  myself;  that  where  I  am,  there  yo 
may  be  also."  ''If  ye  love  me,  keep  my  command- 
ments. And  I  will  pray  the  Father,  and  he  shall  give 
you  another  Comforter,  that  he  may  abide  with  you 
forever  " — not  a  few  years,  as  I  have  done,  and  then  go 
away — but  "  that  he  may  abide  with  you  forever:  even 
the  Spirit  of  truth,  whom  the  world  can  not  receive, 
because  it  seeth  him  not,  neither  knoweth  him;  but 
ye  know  him;  for  he  dwelieth  with  you,  and  shall  be 
in  you.''  "  These  things  have  I  spoken  unto  you, 
being  yet  present  with  you.  But  the  Comforter,  which 
is  the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  the  Father  will  send  in  my 
name,  he  shall  teach  you  all  things,  and  bring  all 
things  to  your  remembrance,  whatsoever  I  have  said 
unto  you.'^  "  But  now  I  go  my  way  to  him  that  sent 
me,  and  none  of  ye  asketh  me.  Whither  goest  thou  ? 
But  because  I  have  said  these  things  unto  you,  sorrow 
hath  filled  your  heart.  Nevertheless  I  tell  you  the 
truth :  It  is  expedient  fur  you  that  I  go  away ;  for  if 


CLEARNESS.  105 

1  go  not  away,  the  Comforter  will  not  come  unto  you  ; 
but  if  I  depart,  I  will  send  him  unto  you.  And  when 
he  is  come,  he  will  reprove  the  vrorld  of  sin,  and  of 
righteousness,  and  of  judgment:  of  sin,  because 
they  believe  not  on  me ;  of  righteousness,  because  I 
go  to  my  Father,  and  ye  see  me  no  more ;  of  judg- 
ment, because  the  prince  of  this  world  is  judged.  I 
have  yet  many  things  to  say  unto  you,  but  ye  can 
not  bear  them  now.  Howbeit,  when  he,  the  Spirit  of 
truth,  is  come,  he  will  guide  you  into  all  truth ;  for 
he  shall  not  speak  of  himself,  but  whatsoever  he  shall 
hear,  that  shall  he  speak ;  and  he  will  shovv^  you  things 
to  come.  He  shall  glorify  me ;  for  he  shall  receive 
of  mine  and  shall  show  it  unto  you." 

There  are  many  mysteries,  my  brother,  which  this 
divine  Teacher,  the  Holy  Spirit,  will  never  unlock 
to  us  in  this  world,  as  declared  in  the  last  words  that 
fell  from  the  lips  of  our  ascending  Lord.  Out  on 
the  Mount  of  Olives,  "  When  they  were  come  together, 
they  asked  of  him,  saying,  Lord,  wilt  thou  at  this 
time  restore  acrain  the  kins^dom  of  Israel?  And  he 
said  unto  them.  It  is  not  for  you  to  know  the  times 
or  the  seasons,  which  the  Father  hath  put  in  his  own 
power.  But  ye  shall  receive  power,  after  that  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  come  upon  you :  and  ye  shall  be 
witnesses  unto  me,  both  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all  Ju- 
dea,  and  in  Samaria,  and  unto  the  uttermost  part 
of  the  earth."  However  numerous  and  dark  the 
mysteries  that  surround  us  in  this  world,  the  uner- 
ring Teacher,  sent  from  God,  is  present  to  instruct 


106  THE     MODEL     PREACIIEE. 

US  in  every  thing  necessary  to  our  great  work  of 
bearing  the  tidings  of  the  Gospel  to  the  "  uttermost 
part  of  the  earth/' 

In  reading  a  book,  have  you  not,  my  brother,  often 
said  to  yourself,  "  0,  I  wish  I  had  the  author  here  to 
tell  me  the  precise  thoughts  he  meant  to  convey  by 
this  passage?"  When  reading  the  book  of  God, 
just  remember  that  the  Author  is  present,  and  wait- 
ing to  give  you  all  the  instruction  you  need — to 
tell  you,  as  far  as  necessary,  the  precise  meaning 
he  designed  to  convey  when  he  first  indited  the 
words,  ''and  guide   you  into   all  truth." 

I  am  afraid  we  rely  too  much  on  the  expositions 
and  opinions  of  men;  rummage  through  a  v/liole  the- 
ological library  to  find  the  meaning  of  some  pas- 
sage of  Scripture,  when  right  by  our  side  stands  the 
original  Author,  waiting  to  explain  it,  and  apply  its 
truth  to  our  hearts;  but  we  don't  even  csk  his  ad- 
vice, or  if  we  do,  we  go  right  off  to  something  else, 
and  do  n't  wait  to  hear  what  he  has  to  say  on  the 
subject. 

I  think  I  have  a  due  appreciation  of  our  standard 
theological  works  and  commentaries.  They  are  in- 
valuable as  helps  to  the  study  of  the  Scriptures,  but 
were  never  designed  to  supersede  the  daily  teachings 
of  the  Spirit.  Learn  all  you  can  from  books  and 
from  living  men,  for  God  will  not  supply  by  the 
Spirit  what  we  may  acquire  by  the  natural  force  of 
thought  and  application;  but  when  you  want  light 
on  any  vital,  practical  question,  go  into  your  closet 


CLEARNESS.  107 

and  say,  "0  my  Father  in  heaven,  thou  hast  prom- 
ised to  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  thee. 
I  beseech  thee,  for  the  sake  of  Jesus,  to  give  mo 
now  thy  Holy  Spirit,  to  impart  light  and  purity,  that 
I  may  fully  understand  and  clearly  present  thy  mes- 
sage this  day  to  dying  sinners.  0  my  Jesus,  though 
thou  hast  ascended  to  thy  throne,  and  I  can  not  look 
upon  thy  face,  as  did  thy  disciples  on  the  mount,  and 
hear  from  thy  lips  the  things  v.diich  thou  hast  sent 
me  to  proclaim ;  yet  I  thank  thee  that  thou  hast 
sent  the  Comforter.  0  divine  Comforter,  coequal 
and  cocternal  with  God  the  Father,  and  God  the 
Son,  and  equally  interested  in  the  redemption  of  the 
world,  I  humbly  beseech  thee  to  ^open  my  under- 
standing, that  I  may  understand  the  Scriptures,'  and 
know  definitely  what  thou  dost  mean  by  the  words 
of  the  message  I  am  to  bear  to-day  to  my  dying 
brothers  and  sisters.  I  have  consulted  thy  servants, 
Dr.  Clarke  and  Mr.  Watson,  and  sought  to  know 
this,  but  still  my  mind  is  dark.  I  will  wait  at  thy 
feet  for  the  light  of  truth,  and  depend  wholly  on  thy 
presence  and  unction,  when  I  stand  before  the  peo- 
ple to  give  it  saving  effect."  For  a  clear  under- 
standing of  the  Scriptures,  my  brother,  especially 
in  relation  to  all  things  experimental  and  practical, 
rely  mainly  on  the  word  itself,  carefully  examining 
all  its  collateral  revealings  on  the  same  subject,  and 
upon  the  unction  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

The  neglect  of  this  Divine  unction  will  account, 
mainly,    for   the   want    of    point    and    clearne«s    so 


108  THE     MODEL     PTwEACnER. 

manifest  in  much  of  the  preaching  of  these  days 
I  have  a  sad  experience  of  my  own  on  this  subject^ 
and  do  not  speak  censoriously,  but  with  all  due  re- 
spect to  the  feelings  of  my  brethren  in  the  ministry, 
and  a  just  appreciation  of  their  sincerity  and  use- 
fulness. 

How  many  sermons  do  we  hear  that  are  made  up 
of  ambiguous  words,  general,  abstract  terms;  some 
quotations  from  the  poets,  which  mean  nothing  in 
that  connection ;  some  pretty  little  poetic  figures, 
which  represent  no  definite  ideas ;  some  good  Scrip- 
ture quotations,  repeated  as  commonplace  phrase  to 
fill  up  and  cover  over  the  dry  bones  of  the  sermon- 
ical  skeleton.  The  whole  performance  is  passed 
through  as  a  school-boy  would  repeat  an  old  speech 
he  had  learned,  but  could  not  understand. 

But  where  is  the  point,  the  clearness,  the  unction, 
the  saving  effect  of  such  a  sermon  ? 

In  other  cases  when  the  forms  of  truth  are  exactly 
in  accordance  with  the  word,  and  every  point  is 
made  to  represent  a  definite  idea,  the  minds  of 
preacher  and  hearers  seem  to  take  hold  only  of  the 
shadow,  and  not  the  substance. 

There  arc  many  preachers  who  search  the  Scrip- 
tures daily,  and  make  a  thorough  study  of  theology, 
as  a  theory,  and  become  very  clear  and  expert  in 
"the  letter,"  and  yet  seem  to  know  but  little  of 
"the  power." 

Such  theology  is  something  like  the  abstract  science 
of  astronomy.     The  teacher  gives   out   his  lessons, 


CLEARNESS.  109 

which  the  pupils  learn  so  well  as  to  answer  everv 
question  with  ease  and  confidence.  The  science  in 
the  book  is  brought  fuUj  to  view  in  all  its  symmetrical 
proportions.  In  the  public  examination  the  people 
arc  astonished  at  the  expertness  of  the  young  astron- 
omers. They  can  answer  every  question  in  the  cate- 
chism, and  repeat  a  whole  gospel  from  memory. 
But  take  them  out  under  the  starry  heavens,  and  ask 
them  to  point  out  the  planets,  and  they  run  to  their 
books,  and  point  to  their  representatives  on  the  map. 
Ask  them  at  noonday  to  point  out  the  great  center 
of  the  solar  system,  and  they  open  their  books,  and 
point  to  a  large  white  spot  on  the  map,  which  they 
call  the  sun.  What!  are  the  sun  and  the  planets,  with 
other  suns  and  systems  of  the  visible  universe,  all 
contained  in  a  12mo.  volunae?  Just  as  certainly 
as  that  the  Bible,  which  is  the  inspired  word  of  God, 
Contains  the  real  "Sun  of  righteousness,"  with  all 
the  grand  laws  and  luminaries  of  which   it  treats. 

The  little  book  on  astronomy  is  simply  to  teach  us 
about  the  heavens  above  us;  so  the  Bible  furnishes 
the  inspired  lessons  which  are  to  mark  out  to  our 
view  the  spirituid  heavens;  not  as  a  mere  science 
which  we  may  study  or  not  with  impunity,  but  to  de- 
fine the  way,  and,  by  the  appliances  of  Gospel  grace, 
prepare  us  for  a  flight  far  beyond  the  suns  and  sys- 
tems of  the  material  universe,  up  to  the  palace  of  God, 
the  home  of  redeemed  and  glorified  souls. 

Many  good  men,  truly  called  of  God  to  preach, 
confine    themselves    mainly    to    an    abstract    Gospel, 


11 0  THE    MODEL    PPvEACIlER. 

which  does  but  little  execution  among  sinners,  and  a,s 
little  to  edify  the  Church. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  is  possible  for  an  unconverted 
man  to  preach  many  of  the  dogmas  of  leligion  with 
clearness  and  effect.  But  a  man  must  be  converted, 
called  of  God  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  obtain  a 
clear  understanding,  not  of  the  letter  simply,  but  of 
the  spirit  and  power  of  the  word,  and  act  under  the 
unction  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  before  shown,  before 
he  can  be  "approved  of  God,  a  workman  that  necd- 
eth  not  to  be  ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the  word  of 
truth." 

The  necessity  of  all  this  preparation  is  clearly  seen 
in  the  light  of  St.  Paul's  exhibit  of  the  various 
branches  of  the  great  work  to  which  the  different 
orders  of  ministers  are  called.  Speaking  of  the  gifts 
of  Christ  to  the  Church,  he  says  :  "And  he  gave  some 
apostles,  and  some  prophets,  and  some  evangelists, 
and  some  pastors  and  teachers."  For  what  purpose  ? 
"For  the  perfecting  of  the  saints."  xih!  what  could 
an  unconverted  man,  or  a  superficial,  abstract  theo- 
rist, do  in  such  a  work  as  that?  "For  the  work  of 
the  ministry" — the  ministry  of  reconciliation  to  sin- 
ners. "For  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ;" 
building  up  the  Church  collectively.  "  Till  we  all 
come;"  the  preachers  certainly,  but  not  them  only, 
but  all  the  members  of  "  the  body  of  Christ."  "  Till 
we  all  come  in  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  cf  the 
knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man, 
unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fullness  of 


CLEARNESS.  Ill 

Christ:    that   we   henceforth   be   no   more    children. 


tossed  to  and  fro,  and  carried  about  with  every  wind 
of  doctrine,  by  the  sleight  of  men,  and  cunning  crafti- 
ness, whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to  deceive ;  but  speak- 
ing the  truth  in  love,  may  grow  up  into  him  in  all 
things,  which  is  tlie  head,  even  Christ:  from  whom 
the  whole  body,  fitly  joined  together  and  compacted 
by  that  which  every  joint  supplieth,  according  to  the 
effectual  working  in  the  measure  of  every  part, 
maketh  increase  of  the  body  unto  the  edifying  of 
itself  in  love." 

**  'T  is  not  a  cause  of  small  import, 
The  pastor's  care  demands  ; 
But  what  might  fill  an  angel's  heart. 
And  filled  the  Savior's  hands." 

For  the  purpose  of  qualifying  the  embassadors  of 
Christ  fully  for  this  great  work,  they  are  generally, 
if  not  invariably,  led  up  in  the  order  of  providence, 
like  their  Master,  "into  "the  wilderness,  to  be  tempted 
of  the  devil.''  They  thus  obtain  a  practical  knowl- 
edge of  all  the  modes  of  diabolic  warfare,  and  a 
thorough  training  in  varied  Christian  experience,  so 
as  to  perceive  clearly  the  condition  of  every  variety 
of  case  coming  up  in  their  ministry,  and  be  enabled  to 
make  a  judicious  application  of  Gospel  remedies. 

You  should,  my  brother,  so  study  the  character  of 
the  sinner,  as  delineated  in  the  Bible  and  developed  in 
real  life,  as  to  be  able  to  pursue  him  through  all  the 
dark  labyrinths  of  sinful  thought  and  action — track 
him  to  his  den,  and  there  pierce  him  through  with  the 


112  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

sword  of  the  Spirit :  ^'  For  the  word  of  God  is  quick 
and  powerful,  and  sharper  than  any  two-edged  sword, 
piercing  even  to  the  dividing  asunder  of  the  soul  and 
spirit,  and  of  the  joints  and  marrow,  and  is  a  dis- 
cerner  of  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart."  It 
seems  to  me  that  a  skillful  swordsman,  Avith  such  an 
instrument  as  that  in  his  hand,  ought  to  do  execution 
every  time.  When  you  drive  that  sword  into  the  con- 
science of  the  sinner,  do  you  expect  to  hear  his  shriek 
of  anguish  then,  or  at  some  futui'e  period?  When 
the  wounded  sinner  comes  to  you  crying,  '^  Sir,  what 
must  I  do  to  be  saved?"  unless  in  the  clear  light  of 
experience  you  understand  his  case,  and  the  remedy, 
what  could  3^ou  do?  You  would  be  like  a  preacher 
James  Caughey  tells  about. 

The  preacher  said  to  Caughey,  "IVhy  is  it  that 
your  preaching  is  attended  with  such  stirring  effects, 
and  I,  preaching  the  same  Gospel,  see  no  fruit  of  my 
labor?" 

Caughey  handed  him  one  of  his  written  sermons, 
saying,  ^'Read  that  to  your  people  next  Sunday,  and 
see  what  the  effect  will  be." 

The  preacher  read  it  to  his  congregation,  and  they 
wept;  and  as  he  came  down  fi-om  the  pulpit  a  poor 
weeping  penitent  met  him,  saying,  ''  0,  sir,  what  shall 
I  do  ?" 

"My  dear  friend,''  replied  the  preacher,  "have  1 
hurt  your  feelings?  I  ask  your  pardon,  sir;  I  did 
not  mean  to  hurt  your  feelings." 

What  was  St  Paul's  advice  to  the  Philippian  jailer? 


CLEARNESS.  113 

Did  he  say,  "  You  have  been  a  very  bad  man,  sir,  and 
now  you  must  reform  and  lead  a  new  life.  Here  is  a 
copy  of  the  holy  Scriptures  for  you  to  read  and 
study.  You  must  also  pray  in  secret,  and  set  up  your 
family  altar,  and  pray  for  your  neglected  children, 
attend  the  public  means  of  grace,  and  let  your  pri- 
vate life  and  your  conduct  toward  the  prisoners  be 
such  as  to  show  to  the  world  the  genuineness  of  your 
repentance?"  That  is  just  the  kind  of  advice  many 
modern  teachers  would  give  to  such  a  case.  Did  St. 
Paul  give  such  advice?  Not  a  word  of  it.  He  un- 
derstood his  business.  He  clearly  perceived  that  the 
poor  jailer  was  pierced  with  the  sword  of  the  Spirit, 
and  was  willing  then  to  submit  to  any  terms  of  mercy. 
Submission  to  the  will  of.  God  is  the  end  or  object 
of  repentance.  If  the  sinner,  by  the  power  of  the 
awakening  Spirit,  can  reach  that  point  by  five  minutes' 
repentance,  he  is  ready  just  then  to  receive  mercy,  as 
much  so  as  if  he  had  repented  five  years.  The  apos- 
tle, seeing  that  the  trembling  sinner  had  reached  that 
important  point,  would  not  trouble  his  head  with  ques- 
tions and  doctrines  which  would  delay  the  onward 
action  of  his  penitent  heart,  or  divert  his  mind  from 
the  essential  point  already  reached.  Why  turn  his 
feet  right  away  from  the  gate  of  mercy,  "to  go 
about"  in  the  dreary  paths  of  formality  "to  establish 
his  own  righteousness,"  instead  of  at  once  submitting 
himself  to  the  righteousness  of  God — to  God's 
righteous  method  of  saving  the  sinner  by  faith,  with- 
out works?  It  is  not  appropriate  to  talk  to  a  criminal 
10 


114  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

at  the  bar,  under  sentence  of  death,  about  his  duties 
as  a  citizen  of  the  commonwealth.  The  first  thing, 
sir,  is  to  have,  if  possible,  the  death  sentence  revoked 
and  the  poor  culprit  restored  to  citizenship,  and  then 
your  advice  about  the  relations  and  duties  of  life  will 
be  apposite  to  the  case. 

St.  Paul  knew  that  the  poor  jailer's  heart  was  cor- 
rupt, and  that  ''a  corrupt  tree  would  necessarily  bring 
forth  corrupt  fruit."  He  knew  that  no  works  of 
righteousness  which  he  could  ever  perform  would  bet- 
ter his  condition  a  single  iota.  But  he  saw  his  will- 
ingness at  once  to  submit  to  the  will  of  God — to  give 
up  every  thing  opposed  to  his  will — all  sin — sins  of 
the  life  and  of  the  heart,  and  acquiesce  heartily  in  all 
God's  decisions  concerning  him,  and  hence  directed 
him  at  once  to  the  great  Physician  who  alone  could 
cure  him,  but  who,  in  compassion,  having  anticipated 
the  peril  of  the  jailer's  soul,  had  already  entered  the 
dungeon,  and  was  waiting  to  save  him.  "Say  not  in 
thy  heart,  Who  shall  ascend  into  heaven  ?  that  is,  to 
bring  Christ  down  from  above;  or,  Who  shall  descend 
into  the  deep  ?  that  is,  to  bring  Christ  up  again  from 
the  dead."  Doing  and  delaying  are  now  out  of  the 
question.  But  what  saith  it — what  saith  the  Gospel? 
The  word  is  nigh  thee — the  word  of  life — the  living 
Jesus,  whom  we  preach,  and  in  whom  we  believe,  is  nigh 
thee  now.  Dost  thou  not  feel  his  awakening  power  in 
^'  thy  heart,"  and  express  it  by  crying  and  praying  with 
"thy  mouth?"  Yes,  my  penitent  brother,  and  he 
loves  you  more  than  your  mother  ever  did  or  ever 


CLEARNESS.  115 

can.  A  mothers  love  would  save  you  if  she  had  the 
power;  but,  alas!  poor  mother  has  no  povfer  to  save. 
Jesus  loves  you  with  more  than  maternal  tenderness; 
even  to  the  pouring  out  of  his  heart's  blood  for  the 
ransom  of  your  soul ;  and  is  able  to  save  to  the  utter- 
most all  who  come  unto  God  by  him.  Can  you  not 
intrust  your  soul  and  body  in  the  care  of  such  a 
friend  as  that?  Do  you  not  now  give  your  heart  to 
him?  Do  you  not  now  confide  in  his  mercy — his 
saving  merit?  "Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  thou  shalt  be  saved,  and  thy  house."  He  did  be- 
lieve, and  his  family  also,  and  were  saved;  and  the 
whole  of  them  were  baptized  and  received  into  the 
Church  in  that  hour. 

Then  followed  their  good  works,  as  the  legitimate 
fruit  of  their  faith.  He  washed  the  wounds  of  the 
persecuted  preachers,  "  and  set  meat  before  them,  and 
rejoiced,  believing  in  God  with  all  his  house." 

I  give  this  as  a  specimen  of  the  clearness  with 
which  the  way  of  salvation  is  marked  out  to  a  peni- 
tent sinner,  according  to  the  Gospel  mode. 

Many  modern  D.  D.'s  would  put  such  a  case  as 
that  of  the  ungodly  jailer  under  treatment  for  months 
before  they  would  consider  his  salvation  practicable 
or  possible.  Under  the  clear  teaching  of  Jesus  the 
way  was  made  so  plain  that  the  w^orst  sinner  in  the 
nation,  who  Vv-ould  submit  himself,  had  to  cry  for 
mercy  but  once  to  obtain  healing  power  for  body  and 
.soul. 

For    example :    "  There    came    a    leper    to    him, 


116  THE    MODEL    PEEACIIER. 

beseeching  him,  and  kneeling  down  to  him,  and  say- 
ing unto  him.  If  thou  wilt,  thou  canst  make  mo  clean." 
Did  Jesus  tell  him  to  go  away  and  use  certain  cura- 
tive remedies,  and  reform,  and  come  again  ?  No,  sir. 
*'And  Jesus,  moved  with  compassion,  put  forth  his 
hand  and  touched  him,  and  saith  unto  him,  I  will; 
be  thou  clean.  And  as  soon  as  he  had  spoken,  im- 
mediately the  leprosy  departed  from  him,  and  he  was 
cleansed." 


CLEAENESS.  117 


LETTER  VII. 

CLEARNESS— CONTINUED. 

My  Dear  BROTnER,-^The  Church  may  bo  com- 
pared to  a  great  hospital  for  the  treatment  of  sin-sick 
souls,  and  a  nursery  for  the  development  and  training 
of  the  babes  in  Christ.  It  contains  cases  of  every 
variety,  from  the  soul  covered  with  the  leprosy  of  sin 
up  to  the  soul  purified  in  the  blood  of  Jesus,  and  from 
the  babe  in  Christ  up  to  the  "  perfect  man."  You 
■will  require,  my  brother,  a  clear,  experimental  ac- 
quaintance with  God  and  his  Gospel  to  enable  you  to 
take  charge  of  such  an  institution  as  this,  and  make 
a  judicious  application  of  Gospel  remedies,  ''give  to 
each"  an  appropriate  "portion  in  dae  season,"  and 
superintend  all  its  departments  of  labor. 

What  would  you  think  of  the  superintending  phy- 
sician of  a  hospital  who  should  daily  send  in  a  box  of 
pills,  to  be  given  indiscriminately  to  all  his  patients, 
and  distribute  his  dietetics  in  the  same  way  ?  You 
would  think  that  quite  as  appropriate,  I  presume,  as 
for  a  minister,  unacquainted  wdth  the  power  of  Gos- 
pel remedies  and  the  condition  and  wants  of  his 
patients  and  partially-developed  Christians,  to  think 
of  healing  and  "feeding  the  Church  of  God"  by 
serving  out  to  them,  one  day  in  seven,  a  dish  of  dry, 
stale  abstractions. 


118  THE     MODEL     PREACnEE. 

A  good  physician,  sir,  vvill  tliorouglily  test  the  na- 
ture and  power  of  his  remedies,  and  before  he  applies 
them,  you  'will  see  him  daily  passing  round  among 
his  patients,  saying  to  each  one,  "Let  me  feel  your 
pulse — put  out  your  tongue."  By  a  careful  examin- 
ation of  their  symptoms,  he  is  prepared  to  judge  what 
kind  of  remedy  is  required  to  meet  the  wants  of  each 
case. 

A  man  might. have  the  eloquence  of  an  angel,  and 
yet,  unless  he  makes  himself  'vvell  acquainted  with  his 
people,  he  will  accomplish  hut  little  good.  The  suc- 
cess of  any  remedy  depends  on  its  application. 
That  requires  not  only  an  acquaintance  with  the 
remedy,  but  also  with  the  case  to  which  you  apply  it. 

Learn  all  ^'ou  can  from  books,  my  brother,  but  keep 
yourself  well  posted  in  the  daily  developments  of  hu- 
manity around  you,  in  the  Church  and  out  of  it. 
Learn  to  scan  and  to  delineate  character;  ascertain 
the  soul's  symptoms  and  wants,  and  give  to  each  an 
appropriate  "portion  in  due  season." 

For  example,  when  you  find  a  soul  groaning  to  he 
"cleansed  from  all  the  filthincss  of  flesh  and  spirit, 
and  desiring  to  perfect  holiness  in  the  fear  of  the 
Lord,"  do  n't  read  to  such  a  one  a  dr}^,  dogmatical 
essay  on  the  subject,  nor  say  to  that  struggling  soul, 
"Don't  be  discouraged,  my  sister;  you  have  again 
renewed  your  covenant  with  God.  He  v/ill  carry  on 
the  good  work  he  has  comm.enced  in  your  heart. 
Watch  and  pray  much,  read  the  Scriptures,  attend 
the  means  of  grace,  and  live  near  to  God." 


CLEARNESS.  119 

Such  advice  to  such  a  ca^e  appears  so  plausible, 
d,nd  contains  so  much  that  is  good  in  itself,  and, 
withal,  is  so  common,  that  it  requires  very  clear  spir- 
itual discernment  to  detect  the  fatal  error  to  which  it 
often  leads. 

That  fatal  old  error  which  St.  Paul  so  clearly  ex- 
posed, eighteen  hundred  years  ago,  is,  in  my  opinion, 
the  most  common  practical  error  in  the  Church  to- 
day. 

Says  he,  "  Brethren,  my  heart's  desire  and  prayer 
to  God  for  Israel  is,  that  they  might  be  saved.  For 
I  bear  them  record,  that  they  have  a  zeal  of  God,  but 
not  according  to  knowledge.  For  they,  being  igno- 
rant of  God's  righteousness,  and  going  about  to  estab- 
lish their  own  righteousness,  have  not  submitted  them- 
selves unto  the  righteousness  of  God."  This  going 
about  to  establish  their  own  righteousness  instead  of 
submitting  themselves'  to  God's  terms  of  salvation  by 
faith  in  Jesus,  is  not  only  common  among  penitent 
sinners,  but  among  all  partially-developed  Christians. 

I  will  illustrate  this  by  a  part  of  the  experience  of 
a  friend  of  mJne.  Brother  W.  was  a  zealous  exhorter 
in  the  Church;  a  young  man  of  unblemished  outward 
deportment,  and  striving  for  high  attainments  in  relig- 
ious experience.  But,  said  he,  ''though  I  prayed 
daily,  '  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  0  God,  and  re- 
new a  right  spirit  within  me;'  and  though  I  had 
many  seasons  of  refreshing  from  the  presence  of  the 
Lord,  I  was,  nevertheless,  painfully  convinced  of  a 
sad  want  of  conformity  in  my  heart  to  the  will  of 


120  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

Christ.  I  knew  that  I  had  the  leaven  of  saving 
grace  in  my  soul,  for  I  had  been  clearly  converted, 
and  had  not  backslidden  for  a  day;  but  I  found  so 
much  of  the  unsanctified  meal  of  '  carnal  affections 
and  lusts'  surrounding  it,  that  I  was  often  greatly 
distressed  about  my  state. 

*' At  every  sacramental  meeting,  especially,  I  was  in 
the  habit  of  entering  into  a  careful  examination  of 
my  heart,  and  of  renewing  my  covenant  with  God. 
On  those  solemn  occasions  I  would  weep,  confess,  and 
pray,  saying,  ^  0  Lord,  thou  knowest  that  I  desire  to 
love  thee,  but  how  cold  and  heartless  have  been  my 
efforts  to  serve  thee !  I  have  done  so  little  for  him 
who  gave  his  life  for  me.  0  Lord,  I  am  sorry  for 
these,  my  misdoings,  and  would  repent  before  thee 
in  dust  and  ashes  ;  but,  0  Lord,  I  will  do  better.  I 
will  pray  more  earnestly  in  secret,  and  fast  more  fre- 
quently. I  will  study  the  Scriptures  more  diligently, 
visit  the  sick  more,  be  more  liberal  in  distributing  to 
the  necessity  of  saints,  and  live  near  to  God.'  I 
felt  some  comfort  in  having  renewed  my  covenant. 
I  had  a  beautiful  plan  laid  out  in  my  mind  for  holy 
living,  and  looked  forward  to  tlie  fulfillment  of  my 
voAvs,  as  the  period  when  I  would  be  brought  into  the 
sweetest  union  with  God.  But  one  fortnight  proved 
to  me  that,  while  I  kept  up  the  form  according  to  the 
terms  of  my  covenant,  I  had  made  no  perceptible  prog- 
ress in  the  essential  thing — inward,  vital  union  with 
God.  I  mourned  over  my  barrenness  cf  soul,  and 
reproached  myself  for  having  fiilcd  to  keep  my  vow:^. 


CLEARNESS.  121 

Perplexed  and  confounded,  I  said,  'What  shall  I  do? 
I  have  renewed  my  covenant  so  frequently,  and  failed 
to  fulfill  the  spirit  of  it  every  time.  I  have  broken 
my  vows  so  often,  I  am  afraid  to  vow  again,  and 
afraid  not  to  vow — that  would  be  giving  it  up.  I 
can't  give  up  the  struggle — I  must  try  and  save  my 
soul  by  the  grace  of  God.'  I  finally  made  known  my 
case  to  my  minister,  who  said,  'I  wish  all  my  mem- 
bers were  as  good  as  you  are.  Those  inward  strug- 
gles you  speak  of  are  the  result  of  strong  tempta- 
tion from  Satan.  You  are  on  the  right  track,  broth- 
er; go  on,  and  the  Lord  will  bless  you.  You  '11  come 
out  all  right,  I  warrant  you.'  I  took  courage,  and 
tried  it  again  with  greater  earnestness — renewed  my 
covenant,  and  went  through  the  same  routine  of  out- 
ward duties,  with  the  same  unsatisfactory  result.  I 
worked  hard  enough,  but  it  was  like  a  horse  in  a  tread- 
mill— I  made  no  real  progress  till  I  learned  the  more 
excellent  way  of  full  salvation  by  faith,  without  works, 
and  yet  a  faith  working  by  love,  purifying  my  heart, 
and  manifesting  itself  in  appropriate  good  works." 

Brother  W.'s  case  is  by  no  means  a  rare  one. 
There  are  thousands  of  sincere  servants  of  the 
Lord,  who  have  a  zeal  for  God,  but  not  accord- 
ing to  knowledge — having  a  small  development  of 
saving  faith,  but  trammeled  and  baflled  in  its  ex- 
ercise by  a  mixture  of  self-dependence.  Why  is 
it  that  so  many,  after  the  struggle  of  years,  still 
remain  in  bondage?     Not,  to  be  sure,  the  bondage  of 

guilt    and  unpardoned    sin,  for    I    am    not    speaking 

11 


122  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

ot  lifeless,  inconsistent  souls,  ttIio  are  trying  to  coast 
along  between  religion  and  the  world ;  trying  to  main- 
tain a  peace  with  God,  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the 
devil.  I  have  been  describing  such  as  have  religion, 
and  have  grown  in  grace  to  a  degree  which  keeps  their 
consciences  awake,  and  they  are  groaning  for  full  re- 
demption in  the  blood  of  Jesus,  but  still  keep  march- 
ing round  in  the  vrilderness,  now  by  the  Red  Sea,  then 
lip  by  the  thundering  mountain,  and  over  by  the  bor- 
ders of  Moab.  God  hath  not  forsaken  them,  for  they 
see  the  pillar  of  cloud  daily,  and  have  the  guiding 
light  of  the  pillar  of  fire  amid  their  darkness;  but 
still  they  do  not  march  over  and  possess  the  promised 
land  of  perfect  love.  What  is  the  diniculty  in  such  a 
case  ?  I  can  tell  you,  my  brother,  as  I  have  told  you 
before,  when  we  used  to  talk  on  this  subject  in  Califor- 
nia, what  was  the  difliculty  in  my  case,  for  four  years 
after  I  obtained  the  pardoning  mercy  of  God,  and  I 
believe  that  to  be  the  difficulty  with  thousands  of  such 
as  I  have  described. 

Just  at  that  point  of  humiliation,  confession,  and 
the  renewal  of  the  covenant  described  in  the  experi- 
ence of  brother  W.,  I  have  bent  hundreds  of  times. 

Right  there  at  the  mercy-scat  where  I  wept  and 
vowed  stood  Jesus,  bending  in  sympathy  over  me, 
waiting  to  impart  purity  to  my  heart.  It  was  his 
presence,  through  his  blessed  Spirit  working  in  me, 
to  will  and  to  do  his  good  pleasure,  that  wa,ked  up 
the  struggle  in  my  soul,  but  at  the  point  of  my  sub- 
mission to   the  will   of   God,  where   I  should   have 


CLEARNESS.  123 

believed — lifted,  by  faith,  tlie  flood-gate  of  my  heart  to 
let  the  tide  of  purifying  love  flow  in,  I  substituted  a 
fious  voiv  for  believing.  With  a  renewed  covenant  in 
my  mouth,  I  left  the  sacramental  altar  as  weak  as 
when  I  approached  it,  and  left  Jesus  standing  there 
with  the  blessing  he  held  out  for  my  acceptance  still 
in  his  hand — the  very  grace  I  needed  to  enable  me  to 
do  better,  and  without  which  all  my  promised  works 
of  righteousness  were  utterly  worthless. 

When  I  bowed  there  at  the  feet  of  Jesus  I  ignored 
all  my  past  works  as  filthy  rags,  not  current  in  the 
spiritual  kingdom  at  all;  but  what  next  did  I  do? 
Why,  in  my  renevred  covenant,  I  solemnly  promised 
the  Lord  some  more  of  the  same  sort,  or,  as  I  hoped, 
an  improved  article ;  but  one  week's  effort  proved  to 
me  that  they  were  of  the  same  sort  exactly.  When 
I  again  approached  the  mercy-seat  I  ignored  the  last 
productions  of  the  same  sort,  in  their  turn,  and  again 
promised  to  do  better. 

0,  how  glad  I  was  when  the  Lord  in  mercy  revealed 
to  me  that  most  plausible  but  deceptive  error  which 
had  made  my  way  so  hard,  and  had  so  long  trammeled 
my  faith  and  involved  my  soul  in  a  labyrinth  of  difii- 
culty !  It  was  by  no  means  a  theoretical  error — for  I 
repudiated  the  idea  of  salvation  by  works — but  a  most 
subtile,  practical  error,  which  for  years  escaped  de- 
tection. 

I  then  saw  that  I  had  been  something  like  a  man, 
who,  wishing  to  irrigate  his  meadow,  and  feeling  the 
importance  of  cutting  ditches  to  convey  the  water  to 


124  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

every  part,  spends  all  his  time  working  in  the  ditches. 
There  he  toils  and  sweats,  working  hard  enough,  to  be 
sure,  to  secure  a  great  harvest  of  hay.  The  heat 
and  drought  of  summer  almost  wilt  him,  and  his 
grass  dies.  Poor  fellow !  What '  s  the  matter  ?  Why, 
to  be  sure,  with  all  his  nice  ditches  and  good  works, 
he  has  omitted  to  lift  the  flood-gate  and  turn  on 
the  water.  That  was  the  essential  thing.  The  ditch- 
es w^ere  necessary,  but  of  what  avail  were  they 
without  the  water?  I  saw  that  I  had  worked  hard 
enough,  but  had  failed  to  lift  the  flood-gate  by  pres- 
ent believing,  and  make  a  connection  between  my 
thirsty  heart  and  the  purifying  fountain.  Then  I  ap- 
proached the  mercy- seat,  and  said,  ''0  Lord,  I  have 
been  very  unfaithful,  and  have  long  struggled  to 
make  my  case  better,  but  can  not.  I  have  no  con- 
fidence in  the  flesh.  I  know  that  such  is  my  utter 
helplessness,  and  such  is  the  power  of  the  influences 
of  evil  that  surround  and  oppose  me,  that  I  will 
never  bo  any  better  than  I  have  been,  nor  do  any 
better  than  I  have  done,  unless  my  heart  is  made 
better.  Unless  the  tree  be  good,  the  fruit  can  not  be 
good ;  unless  the  fountain  be  clean,  the  stream  must 
remain  impure.  How  is  the  motive  fountain  of  my 
heart  to  be  purified?  *Not  by  works  of  righteousness 
which  I  have  done,'  or  may  hope  to  do,  'but  through 
thy  mercy,  by  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  re- 
newing of  the  Holy  Ghost,  shed  on  me  abundantly 
through  Jesus  Christ  my  Savior.' 

"If  by  the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  through 


CLEARNESS.  125 

the  all- clean  sing  blood  of  Jesus  alone,  why  not  now  ? 
r  am  as  good  as  I  ever  will  be  till  thou  dost  apply 
the  blood,  and  cleanse  me  from  all  filthiness  of  the 
flesh  and  spirit,  and  thus  make  me  better.  My  vows 
and  pledges,  looking  to  future  fulfillment,  are  of  no 
avail;  but  the  blood  of  Jesus  is  sufiicient,  it  covers 
the  case.  I  am  my  Lord's,  and  he  is  mine.  I  're- 
joice in  Christ  Jesus,  and  have  no  confidence  in  the 
flesh' — in  nothing  that  I  have  done,  or  hope  to  do. 
I  am  not  '  sufficient  of  myself  to  think  any  thing,'  or 
do  any  good,  '  as  of  myself,  but  my  sufficiency  is  of 
God.'  'I  am  crucified  with  Christ;  nevertheless,  I 
live ;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me  ;  and  the  life 
which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the 
Son  of  God,  who  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me.' 
"  The  purity  I  have  so  long  desired  I  find,  not 
imparted  separately  from  Christ,  but  '  in  Christ  Jesus, 
who  of  God  is  made  unto  me  wisdom,  and  righteous- 
ness, and  sanctification,  and  redemption' — Christ  in 
the  fullness  of  his  saving  mercy  received  in  my  con- 
fidence and  heart's  afi'ections — *  Christ  in  me  the 
hope  of  glory.' 

'  Every  moment,  Lord,  I  need 
The  merit  of  thy  death.' 

But,  glory  be  to  my  present  indwelling  Savior ! 

*  Every  moment,  Lord,  I  have 
The  merit  of  thy  death.' 

"I   have  nothing   to   expect  from  myself,  or  my 
own  works,    past    or    future,  but    sin;   not   that    I 


126  THE     MODEL     PREACnER. 

have  any  sympathy  with  sin — no,  I  hate  it  more 
than  I  hate  death — hut  I  know  its  deceitful  power, 
and  my  own  utter  impotency;  but  *I  can  do  all 
things  through  Christ  who  strengtheneth  me.' " 
Thus,  my  brother,  you  see  I  not  only  renounced  all 
inbred  sin  and  the  love  of  it,  but  was  stripped  of 
all  self-dependence,  past  and  future.  I  threw  all  the 
"filthy  rags'"  of  my  future  righteousness  into  the 
same  pile  with  my  past  works,  and  gave  them  up 
forever.  Thus  stripped  of  every  dependence  on  the 
arm  of  flesh,  I  threw  my  helpless  soul  and  body  on 
the  present  all-cleansing  virtue  of  the  atonement. 
Thus  receiving  Jesus  in  the  fullness  of  his  saving 
power  into  my  heart,  and  living  "  by  faith  in  the  Son 
of  God,"  I  found  but  little  difficulty  in  doing  the 
will  of  God  in  regard  to  outvy^ard  works. 

If  we  have  the  inward  life  of  the  Spirit,  there  will 
always  be  an  appropriate  outward  manifestation  of 
"  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,"  in  word  and  deed.  The 
end  contemplated,  and  vainly  sought  by  vows,  and 
pledges,  and  renewed  covenants,  is  thus  eifcctively 
secured  by  faith.     "  The  just  shall  live  by  faith." 

Nearly  fourteen  years  of  my  eventful  life  have 
passed  since  I  learned  the  happy  art  of  living  by 
faith.  I  then  entered  into  the  bonds  of  a  new 
covenant  with  God,  not  a  covenant  of  vows  and 
pledges,  looking  to  a  future  fulfillment  of  good 
works  on  my  part,  but  a  covenant  securing  a  pres- 
ent crucifixion  of  wrong  desires  and  vain  hopes 
of    self-dependence — a   present    complete    consecra- 


CLEARNESS.  127 

tion  of  mj  ^11  to  God — a  present  believing  in  a 
present  pui'ifjing  Savior — a  present  experience  of 
that  for  which  the  apostle  Paul  so  earnestly  prays, 
on  behalf  of  the  Hebrew  Christians  to  whom  his 
epistle  was  addressed,  saying,  "Now  the  God  of 
peace,  that  brought  again  from  the  dead  our  Lord 
Jesus,  that  great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  through 
the  blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant,  make  you  per- 
fect in  every  good  work,  to  do  his  will,  w^orking 
in  you  that  Avhich  is  well-pleasing  in  his  sight, 
through  Jesus  Christ;  to  v/hom  be  glory  forever 
and  ever.     Amen." 

I  believe  it  to  be  essential,  my  brother,  to  clear- 
ness in  a  Gospel  preacher,  and  hence  the  duty  of 
every  embassador  of  Christ,  to  enter  into  the  light 
described  by  St.  John  as  the  privilege  of  all  Chris- 
tians, when  he  says,  "  God  is  light,  and  in  him  is  no 
darkness  at  all.  If  we  say  we  have  fellowship 
v/ith  him,  and  walk  in  darkness,  we  lie,  and  do 
not  the  truth:  but  if  we  walk  in  the  light,  as  he 
is  in  the  light,  we  have  fellowship  one  v/ith  anoth- 
er, and  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son  cleans- 
eth  us   from   ail  sin." 

I  do  not  say  that  a  minister  should  not  preach 
on  a  subject — say,  for  example,  the  subject  of  per- 
fect love — unless  by  the  light  of  the  Spirit,  in  his 
personal  experience,  it  is  entirely  clear  to  his  own 
mind;  for  that  is  an  important  means  of  enlarg- 
ing and  clearing  his  views  on  the  subject,  and  of 
edifying    others    less    thoroughly  instructed,   and   in 


128  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

the  act  of  imparting  the  light  he  has,  the  Holy 
Spirit  may  reveal  to  him  the  things  of  God  with 
greater  clearness  than  he  could  possibly  obtain 
while  remaining  silent   on  the  subject. 

Perfection  of  knowledge  in  this  life  is  out  of 
the  question.  The  wisest  will  know  but  in  part. 
We  may  never  be  able  to  preach  the  Gospel  with 
that  clearness  which  characterized  the  preaching  of 
Jesus  and  his  apostles.  Still,  our  efficiency  as  Gos- 
pel ministers  will  be  in  proportion,  every  thing  else 
being  equal,  to  the  degree  of  clearness  with  which  we 
perceive  and  present  the  truth. 


EARNESTNESS.  129 


LETTER    YIII. 

EARNESTNESS. 

My  Dear  Brother, — The  second  characteristic  of 
the  model  which  I  propose  next  to  illustrate,  you  may 
remember,  is  earnestness,  which  is,  in  part,  the  re- 
sult of  clearness,  and  is  an  essential  element  of 
power  embraced  in  the  Savior's  model  for  Gospel 
preaching — earnestness  of  soul,  wrought  up  by  a 
realizing  belief  in  the  truth  of  God's  word — a  faith 
which  "  is  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen,"  and  by  a 
clear  perception,  through  the  unction  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  of  the  momentous  realities  thus  revealed — 
heaven  and  hell,  with  their  inhabitants ;  earth  with  its 
candidates  for  both  the  upper  and  lower  regions;  the 
essential  and  conditional  causes  on  which  hangs  the 
destiny  of  the  millions  of  his  kind,  and  the  import- 
ant part  he,  as  an  embassador  of  Christ,  should  act 
in  the  drama  of  life,  in  saving  souls  from  death,  and 
swelling  the  number  of  the  blood-washed  host. 

As  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  my  brother,  your 
earnest  zeal  should  embrace  all  that  is  contained  in 
the  word  philanih^opy ,  applied  not  only  to  the  bodies 
of  men,  but  especially  to  their  souls.  Your  heart 
should  be  filled  and  thrilled  with  the  undying  love 
of  Jesus.  *'For  ye  know  the  grace  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ;  that,  though  he  was  rich,  yet  for  your 


130  THE    MODEL    P  R  E  A  C  II  E  R  . 

sakes  lie  became  poor,  that  ye,  through  his  poverty, 
might  be  rich."  2  Cor.  viii,  9.  "  Let  this  mind  be  in 
YOU,  -which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus :  who,  being  in 
the  form  of  God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be 
equal."  He  could  not  err  in  his  thoughts  on  the 
subject,  and  hence  was  equal  Vv^th  God.  *'  But  made 
himself  of  no  reputation,  and  took  upon  him  the 
form  of  a  servant,  and  Avas  made  in  the  likeness  of 
men.  And  beinor  found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  he 
humbled  himself,  and  became  obedient  unto  death, 
even  the  death  of  the  cross.'"'  The  earnest  love  of 
Jesus,  which  we  are  commanded  to  imitate,  led  him 
not  only  to  give  up  all  his  riches  and  become  poor 
for  our  sakes,  but  to  assume  our  nature  and  endure 
the  death  penalty  in  his  ov>-n  body,  to  save  us  from 
death.  When  brought  fully  into  sympathy  with 
Jesus  in  his  yearnings  for  the  salvation  of  the  whole 
world,  your  earnest  love  v»dll  not  be  circumscribed 
by  any  boundary  lines  of  family,  sect,  state,  or  na- 
tion. You  will  feel  spiritually  for  the  souls  of  the 
perishing  very  much  as  did  a  company  of  persons 
literally  a  couple  of  years  since,  for  a  man  in  peril 
of  life  near  Niagara  Falls. 

In  the  neighborhood  of  the  Suspension  Bridge  the 
people  were  startled  by  the  dreadful  cry,  "  Man  in 
Niagara !  man  in  Niagara !"  The}^  ran  from  every 
direction  as  the  news  spread,  and  crowding  the 
bridge  and  the  adjacent  cliffs,  they  eagerly  inquired, 
"Where  is  he?  where  is  he?"  "Poor  fellow,  he's 
gone."     Presently  one  cried,  "See,  see,  yonder  he  is, 


EAR  N  E  S  T  N  E  S  S  .  131 

hanging  on  a  rock  !''  pointing  to  a  low,  water-washed 
rock,  about  sixty  yards  below  the  bridge,  on  the 
American  side.  The  same  rock  was  pointed  out  to 
me  when  I  was  there  last  summer.     Kow  the  ques- 


?" 


tion  was,  "  Can  we  save  him?  can  we  save  him? 

They  immediately  prepared  a  rope  ladder,  hoping 
to  be  able  to  let  it  down  within  his  grasp  from  the 
top  of  the  overhanging  cliiTs,  v/hich  towered  about 
three  hundred  feet  above  the  drowning;  man. 

In  suspending  and  dropping  the  ladder  it  got 
tangled,  and  hung  on  some  bushes  which  grew  out 
of  the  crevices  of  the  rocks.  It  vras  a  very  doubtful 
experiment,  and  the  whole  crowd,  now  numbering 
several  hundred,  gazed  in  almost  breathless  sus- 
pense. 

Now  the  question  was,  "Who  will  go  down  and 
clear  the  ropes,  and  try  and  save  that  man?"  The 
attempt  was  so  hazardous  that  every  one  felt  that  it 
was  stakins;  life  for  life. 

But  a  stout,  generous-hearted  German  butcher 
promptly  responded,  '^  I  '11  go  down."  He  quickly 
descended  to  the  bushes,  and  hung  some  time  among 
the  limbs  clearing  the  ladder,  but  presently  it 
dropped  all  clear.  Dovrn  he  vvx-nt  to  the  sweeping, 
boiling,  thundering  torrents  beneath,  oscillating  and 
circling  from  point  to  point,  till  finally  he  set  foot 
ou  the  rock  beside  the  drowning  man.  Holding  on 
by  one  hand  to  the  ladder,  he  with  the  other  took 
hold  of  the  poor  fellow,  and  assuring  him  with  words 
of  comfort,  prevailed  on  him  to  try  to  take  hold  and 


132  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

ascend  the  ladder.  He  could  not  carry  him  up.  He 
had  brought  the  ladder  to  him,  and  could  only  help 
him  to  get  hold  of  it,  and  encourage  him  to  climb 
for  life. 

The  fear  was  that  he  was  too  much  exhausted  to 
climb,  and  to  tie  a  rope  round  him,  and  haul  him  up, 
would  only  be  to  drag  his  life  out  against  the  pro- 
jecting rocks  and  snags.  But  he  took  hold,  and, 
after  ascending  perhaps  one  hundred  feet,  hung  to 
rest. 

The  whole  company  above  trembled  in  an  agony 
of  suspense,  involuntarily  crying,  "  Hold  on,  hold 
on,''  but  expecting  every  moment  that  his  feeble 
grasp  would  relax,  and  he  drop  down  into  the 
sweeping  currents,  to  rise  no  more. 

But  after  a  moment's  rest,  he  ascended  another 
hundred  feet  and  paused  again.  Now  the  multitudes 
of  sympathizing  hearts  beat  more  hopefully — the 
noble  butcher  meantime  steadying  the  ladder  below. 
A  moment's  pause,  and  up  with  fast-departing 
strength  he  climbed,  till  within  reach  of  some  strong 
arms  above,  which  seized  and  drew  him  up. 

The  multitudes  laughed,  and  cried,  and  shouted,  and 
in  their  eager  joy  carried  him  round  on  their 
shoulders,  repeating  their  shouts  long  and  loud. 

What  distinguished  man  was  he,  to  be  sure,  whose 
peril  could  elicit  sympathy  so  profound  and  so  uni- 
versal, and  whose  rescue  caused  such  an  overwhelm- 
ing burst  of  gladness  and  joy?  Bless  your  heart, 
my  brother,  the  question  had  never  been  mooted,  nor, 


EARNESTNESS.  133 

as  I  sappose,  had  it  entered  the  head  of  one  person 
present  whether  the  man  was  a  foreigner  or  a  native- 
born  citizen,  Whig,  Eepublican,  Democrat,  Know- 
Nothing,  Catholic,  or  Protestant.  No  such  question 
thought  of.  He  was  a  man,  a  living  man  in  jeopardy. 
That  was  enough. 

Thus,  my  brother,  should  we  and  every  one  who 
loves  the  Savior,  feel  toward  every  soul  whom  God  has 
made,  since  each  one  is  so  dear  that  "  Jesus  Christ  by 
the  grace  of  Grod  hath  tasted  death  for  every  man." 

Millions  of  our  beloved  race  have  fallen  in  the 
Niagara  of  sinful  life.  They  are  daily  borne  down 
by  the  fearful  rapids,  ingulfed  in  the  thundering 
cataract,  and  lost  forever.  If  you  will  but  look,  you 
will  see  many  of  them  away  beneath  the  cliifs,  hang- 
ing on  to  the  slippery  rocks  which  rise  above  the. 
surface  of  the  rolling  tide,  and  among  them  are  our 
dear  friends  and  kindred.  Can  we  not  save  them? 
Are  there  no  means  of  rescue? 

Thank  the  Lord,  we  have  a  Gospel  ladder  sure  and 
steadfast,  prepared  by  sovereign  Mercy  to  our  hand. 
The  patriarch  Jacob  saw  the  upper  end  of  it,  and 
informs  us  that  "the  top  of  it  reached  to  heaven,  and 
the  angels  ascending  and  descending  on  it."  You  may 
be  sure  its  upper  fastenings  are  secure,  or  they  would 
have  found  it  out.  The  apostle  Paul  saw  the  lower 
end  of  it,  and  assures  us  that  it  is  Ions;  enousrh  to 
reach  down  to  the  "  chief  of  sinners " — the  very 
worst — to  reach  even  to  the  rapids  of  the  cataract  of 
death  and  the  gates  of  perdition. 


184  THE    MODEL    PREACH  ER. 

A  coorcivc  rescue  is  out  of  the  question,  and  God 
wants  earnest  souls  who  will,  like  my  generous  Dutch- 
man, go  down  on  this  ladder,  and  persuade  their  dying 
brothers  to  ''lay  hold  on  the  hope  set  before  them." 

Where  are  the  men  who  will  hazard  their  lives  in 
this  work  ? 

Alarm  cries  and  thundering  anathemas  alone  are 
not  sufficient;  smooth  talk  and  fciir  pretenses  are  of 
no  avail. 

Go  down,  my  brother,  in  the  name  of  Jesus.  When 
you  reach  the  fearful  rock  from  which  hundreds  have 
slid,  and  were  ''  drowned  in  perdition,"  hold  on  with 
one  hand  to  the  Gospel  ladder — for  "he  that  standeth 
should  take  heed  lest  he  fall'' — and  with  the  other 
take  hold  of  thy  perishing  brother.  Show  him  his 
danger  and  tell  him  hovf  to  escape.  You  will  often 
find  such  in  despair,  saying,  ''  0,  I  can't  rise.  My 
heart  is  so  hard,  I'm  afraid  there  's  no  deliverance  for 
me.  If  I  climxb  part  of  the  way  up  and  fall  back,  it 
will  be  much  worse  for  me  than  if  I  had  not  started. 
I  can't,  I  can't." 

Say  to  that  despairing  soul,  "0  yes,  you  can,  for 
the  Lord  will  help  you.  I  was  lower  down  than  you — 
away  down  in  the  rapids — 'my  feet  were  taking  hold 
on  hell,'  but  the  Lord  helped  me,  and  I  was  delivered 
from  the  povrer  of  darkness,  and  translated  into  the 
kingdom  of  God's  dear  Son." 

I  say  to  such,  "My  brother,  when  I  was  sinking 
down,  and  thought  all  hope  was  gone,  a  poor  collier 
came  down  to  me,  and  talked  so  sweetly  about  the 


EARNESTNESS.  135 

saving  povrer  and  presence  of  Jesus,  I  was  encouraged 
to  lay  hold  on  the  hope  set  before  me. 

"It  was  very  hard  at  first,  but  I  gained  a  little,  and 
tried  more  earnestly.  Holding  on,  and  climbing  for 
life,  I  cried  to  Jesus  for  help.  ^I  waited  patiently 
for  the  Lord,  and  he  inclined  his  ear  unto  me  and 
heard  my  cry.  He  brought  me  up  also  out  of  a  hor- 
rible pit,  out  of  the  miry  clay,  and  set  my  feet  upon 
a  rock  and  established  my  goings.  And  he  hath  put 
a  new  song  into  my  mouth,  even  praise  unto  our 
God."' 

How  anxiously  I  have  watched  the  ascending  prog- 
ress of  penitent  souls,  and  when  they  reach  the  rock 
of  ages  multitudes  of  sympathizing  ones  embrace  them 
and  shout  for  joy.  Angels  catch  the  strain  and  bear 
the  news  to  their  celestial  home,  and  then  the  count- 
less host  of  the  redeemed  repeat  the  shout,  giving 
glory  to  God.  "For  there  is  joy  in  the  presence  of 
the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth." 

The  burning  fires  of  holy  ijatriotism  should  ever  fill 
the  heart  of  God's  embassador,  and  bear  him  on  the 
track  of  mercy  and  reconciliation  by  a  kind  of  divine 
steam  power. 

The  patriot's  creed  is  short  and  strong — "My  coun- 
try— my  country's  honor,  the  prowess  of  her  arms, 
the  glory  of  her  institutions,  the  sacred  memory  of 
her  heroes — my  country  and  my  people — the  liberties 
of  my  people. 

"  My  country 's  in  the  right,  and  the  right  I  '11 
maintain — my  life  is  the  wager — ^  Victory  or  death.' " 


136        THE  MODEL  PRE  ACHEE. 

The  philosophy  of  true  patriotism  is  found  in  the 
fact  that  the  patriot's  life  had  been  previously  conse- 
crated by  him  to  his  cause — laid  on  the  altar  of  his 
country. 

The  illustrious  signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Amer- 
ican Independence  solemnly  pledged  to  their  coun- 
try's cause,  not  only  their  property,  their  word  and 
sacred  honor,  but  their  lives.  Life  is  the  price  and 
insurance  policy  of  true  patriotism — all  short  of  this 
is  spurious. 

This  is  beautifully  illustrated  by  the  patriotism  of 
Arnold  Winkelried,  so  familiar  to  every  school-boy,  as 
set  forth  by  that  immortal  bard,  James  Montgomery. 

"  At  the  battle  of  Lampach,  A.  D.  1315,  between 
the  Swiss  and  Austrians,  the  latter  having  obtained 
possession  of  a  narrow  pass  in  the  mountains,  formed 
a  serried  phalanx  with  presented  spears.  Till  this 
was  broken  the  Swiss  could  not  hope  to  make  a  suc- 
cessful attack.  At  last,  Arnold  Winkelried,  leaving 
the  Swiss  ranks,  rushed  upon  the  Austrian  spears, 
and  receiving  in  his  body  as  many  points  as  possible, 
made  a  breach  in  the  line,  which  resulted  in  the  com 
plete  rout  of  the  Austrian  army." 

"  '  M.'ikc  way  for  Liberty  !'  lie  cried; 
Made  way  for  Liberty,  and  died  ! 
In  arms  the  Austrian  phalanx  stood, 
A  living  wall,  a  human  wood  ! 
A  wall,  where  every  conscious  stone 
Seemed  to  its  kindred  thousand  grown  ; 
A  rampart  all  assaults  to  bear, 
Till  time  to  dust  their  frames  should  wear 


EARNESTNESS.  ^  137 

A  wood  like  tliat  enchanted  grove 

In  which,  -with    fiends,  Rinaldo  strove, 

"Where  every  silent  tree  possessed 

A  spirit  prisoned  ia  its  breast. 

Which  the  first  stroke  of  coming  strife 

Would  startle  into  hideous  life  : 

So  dense,  so  still  the  Austrians  stood 

A  living  wall,  a  human  wood  1 

Impregnable  their  front  appears. 

All  horrent  with  projected  spears, 

Whose  polished  points  before  them  shine — 

From  flank  to  flank  a  brilliant  line  — 

Bright  as  the  breakers'  splendors  run 

Along  the  billows  to  the  sun. 

Opposed  to  these,  a  hovering  band. 

Contending  for  their  native  land ; 

Peasants,  whose  new-found  strength  had  broke 

From  manly  necks  the  ignoble  yoke, 

And  forged  their  fetters  into  swords, 

On  equal  terms  to  fight  their  lords  ; 

And  what  insurgent  rage  had  gained. 

In  many  a  mortal  fray,  maintained. 

Marshaled  once  more  at  freedom's  call. 

They  came  to  conquer  or  to  fall, 

Where  he  who  conquered,  he  who  fell. 

Was  deemed  a  dead  or  living  Tell ! 

And  now  the  work  of  life  and  death 

Hung  on  the  passing  of  a  breath. 

The  fire  of  conflict  burned  within  ; 

The  battle  trembled  to  begin  : 

Yet,  while  the  Austrians  held  their  ground. 

Point  for  attack  was  no  where  found. 

Where'er  the  impatient  Switzers  gazed. 

The  unbroken  line  of  lances  blazed. 

That  line  'twere  suicide  to  meet. 

And  perish  at  their  tyrant's  feet. 

How  could  they  rest  within  their  graves, 

And  leave  their  homes  the  homes  of  slaves  ? 

12 


138  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

Would  lliey  not  feel  their  children  tread 

With  clanking  chains  above  their  head? 

T.  must  not  be  :  this  day,  this  hour, 

Annihilates  the  oppressor's  power. 

All  Switzerland  is  in  the  field  ; 

She  will  not  fly,  she  can  not  yield. 

Few  were  the  numbers  she  could  boast. 

But  every  freeman  was  a  host. 

And  felt  as  though  himf  olf  were  he 

On  whose  sole  arm  hung  victory. 

It  did  depend  on  one,  indeed  ; 

Dehold  him !  Arnold  Winkelried  ! 

There  sounds  not  to  the  trump  of  fame 

The  echo  of  a  nobler  name. 

Unmarked  he  stood  am'd  the  throng. 

In  rumination,  deep  and  long. 

Till  you  might  see,  with  sudden  grace, 

The  very  thought  come  o'er  his  face  ; 

And  by  the  motion  of  his  form 

Anticipate  the  bursting  storm  ; 

And  by  the  uplifting  of  his  brow 

Tell  where  the  bolt  would  strike,  and  how. 

But  'twas  no  sooner  thought  than  done ; 

The  field  was  in  a  moment  won. 

*  Make  way  for  Liberty  !'  he  cried  ; 

Then  ran  with  arms  extended  wide. 

As  if  his  dearest  fi'iend  to  clasp  ; 

Ten  spears  he  swept  within  his  grasp  : 

'  Make  way  for  Liberty  !'  he  cried  : 

Their  keen  points  went  from  side  to  side  ; 

He  bowed  among  them  like  a  tree. 

And  thus  made  way  for  Liberty. 

Swift  to  the  breach  his  comrades  fly : 

'Make  way  for  Liberty  !'  they  cry. 

And  through  the  Austrian  phalanx  dart. 

As  rushed  the  spears  througli  Arnold's  heart 

While,  instantaneous  as  his  fall. 

Rout  ruin,  panic,  scattered  all : 


"       EARNESTNESS.  13'J 

An  earthquake  could  not  overthrow 
A  city  with  a  surer  blow. 
Thus  Switzerland  again  was  free — 
Thus  death  made  way  for  Liberty." 

The  Captain  of  our  salvation,  whose  love  for  the 
justice  and  glory  of  the  kingdom  of  God  was  equaled 
only  by  his  love  for  the  enslaved  human  race,  laid 
down  his  life  to  redeem  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law, 
and  to  emancipate  us  from  the  slavery  of  sin  and 
Satan  to  the  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God. 

He  was  a  patriot  and  philanthropist  of  heaven's 
own  type.  It  was  "  for  the  joy  that  was  set  before 
him" — the  joy  of  redeeming  the  world — that  "he  en- 
dured the  cross."  "He  gave  himself  a  ransom 
for  all." 

"  Down  from  the  shining  seats  above. 
With  joyful  haste  he  fled," 

made  bare  his  own  bosom  to  receive  the  steel  that 
must  have  sent  the  whole  race  quivering  to  hell  with- 
out remedy,  and  there  in  the  bosom  of  the  immaculate 
Son  of  Mary  the  sword  of  Justice  bathed  itself  in 
the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God,  till  a  sacrifice  was 
made  which  was  as  full  an  equivalent  for  all  the  ends  of 
the  righteous  government  of  God,  as  the  execution  of 
the  whole  penalty  upon  the  guilty. 

"  Here  the  whole  Deity  is  known, 
'Nov  dare  a  creature  guess 
"Which  of  the  glories  brightest  shone. 
The  justice  or  the  grace." 


140  THE    MODEL    PPtEACIIEE,. 

St.  John  thus  defines  the  spirit  of  Gospel  patriot- 
ism: "Hereby  perceive  we  the  love  of  God,  because 
he  laid  down  his  life  for  us :  and  we  ought  to  laj 
down  our  lives  for  the  brethren."'     1  John  hi,  16. 

That  was  the  true  spirit  of  the  martyrs,  which  is 
but  a  participation  of  the  self-sacrificing  spirit  of 
Jesus,  which  every  believer  in  him  should  possess. 

The  Church  needs  martyr  spirits  now  as  much  as 
she  did  when  she  first  ran  up  her  colors  eighteen  hun- 
dred years  ago.  She  then  enlisted  soldiers  of  the 
cross  with  that  distinct  understanding. 

St.  Paul,  urging  the  Church  at  Rome  to  a  holy  life, 
argues  that  as  they  were  baptized  and  received  into 
the  Church  as  martyrs,  they  surely  ought  to  live  holy 
while  life  was  prolonged.  "Know  ye  not  that  so 
many  of  us  as  were  baptized  into  Jesus  Christ  vferc 
baptized  into  his  death  ?"  When  they  stood  at  the 
baptismal  altar,  their  very  confession  marked  them  at 
once  as  victims  of  persecution  and  death,  and  in  their 
baptismal  vows  they  not  only  renounced  all  sin,  but 
p)resented  their  "bodies  a  living  sacrifice"  on  the 
altar  of  God,  to  live  or  die  for  their  crucified  but 
risen  and  exalted  Savior.  As  St.  Paul  declares  also 
in  his  epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  "  They  were  baptized 
for  the  dead,"  to  fill  up  the  ranks  of  fallen  martyrs, 
and  fall  in  their  turn,  should  the  glory  of  God,  in  the 
spread  of  the  Gospel,  demand  it,  and  thus  they  "  stood 
in  jeopardy  every  hour."     1  Cor.  xv,  30. 

The  patriot  lays  his  life  on  the  altar  of  his  country 
before  he  engages  in  the  mortal  struggle;  so  every 


EARNESTNESS.  141 

Christian  should  lay  his  life  on  the  altar  of  the  Gospel 
which  sanctified  the  martyrs. 

Vfhether  the  patriot's  life  is  actually  taken  or  not, 
does  not  affect  the  genuineness  of  his  patriotism,  nor 
does  that  alternative  affect  the  spiritual  patriotism  of 
the  Christian.  Though  St.  John  died  a  natural  death, 
he  was  doubtless  as  justly  entitled  to  a  martyr's  crown 
as  St.  Peter  or  Paul,  or  any  others  who  poured  out 
their  heart's  blood  on  the  altar  of  human  redemption. 

Nathan  Coffin,  a  patriot  of  the  American  Revolu- 
tion, when  a  prisoner  of  war  on  board  a  British 
ship,  and  tempted  by  the  highest  offers  to  enter  their 
service,  replied,  ''Hang  me  to  the  yard-arm  of  your 
ship  if  you  will,  but  do  not  ask  me  to  become  a  traitor 
to  my  country."  The  incident  came  through  Mr. 
Coffin's  grandson,  C.  11.  Marshall,  Esq.,  of  New  York, 
who  recently  gave  a  thousand  dollars  toward  the 
purchase  of  Mt.  Vernon. 

The  history  of  the  Revolution  is  full  of  illustrious 
examples  of  patriotism,  and  such  always  command  the 
admiration  of  the  world;  but  while  national  patriotism 
bears  a  premium,  at  all  times,  in  any  market.  Gospel 
patriotism  is  "on  change"  in  the  world,  and  in  the 
Church  militant,  at  a  large  discount.  In  the  Church 
triumphant  it  is  always  at  par. 

The  name  of  Arnold  the  traitor  is  an  infamous  by- 
word among  the  nations,  intimately  associated  with 
that  of  Judas,  the  betrayer  of  his  Lord.  But,  in 
these  days,  men  in  high  places  and  low  places,  on 
the  walls  of  Zion,  and  down  behind  the  walls,  betray 


142  THE    MODEL    PREACnER. 

the  Church,  deny  then'  Master,  "crucify  the  Son  of 
God  afresh,  and  put  him  to  an  open  shame,"  with 
impunity,  so  far  as  their  respectability  in  life  is 
concerned. 

Having  served  in  the  Indian  wars  of  the  north- 
west, you  know  more  about  the  rigid  discipline  of  a 
soldier's  life  than  I  do,  but  from  history  I  learn  that 
desertion  has  always  been  regarded  as  about  the  most 
disgraceful  act  of  which  a  soldier  can  be  guilty. 

I  read  some  months  ago  of  two  deserters  in  the 
U.  S.  Army,  in  southern  California.  The  esteem  in 
which  they  were  held  in  the  army  was  exhibited  in 
the  following  manner:  Their  heads  were  shaved;  the 
letter  T  was  branded  on  them  with  a  hot  iron  brand; 
a  small  bundle  of  provisions  w^as  put  on  the  end  of  a 
stick,  which  was  placed  across  the  shoulder  of  each, 
and  then,  before  the  points  of  drawn  bayonets,  they 
were  marched  beyond  the  encampment,  accompanied 
by  the  doleful  notes  of  the  "  rogue's  march,"  dis- 
coursed by  the  drummers  and  fifers  of  the  army. 
They  were  thus  "  drummed  out  of  the  camp,"  and 
dismissed. 

How  widely  that  differs  from  the  "  anathema  mara- 
natha"  which  the  apostles  pronounced  on  deserters 
from  the  army  of  Jesus,  I  can- not  tell.  I  can't  say 
that  I  admire  the  treatment  of  the  two  deserters 
above  referred  to,  but  would  certainly  rather  risk  the 
"rogue's  march"  than  the  "anathema  maranatha.'* 

I  do  n't  mention  these  things  to  indicate  what  ought 
to  be  inflicted  on  our  modern  deserters  from  the  army 


EARNESTNESS.  143 

of  Jesus,  but  simplj  to  illustrate  the  lo^y  ebb  to  which 
Gospel  patriotism  has  fallen.  How  have  our  colors 
been  trailed  in  the  dust,  and  the  prowess  of  our  arms 
dishonored ! 

And  yet  soldiers  of  Jesus  have  the  greatest  stimu- 
lus to  patriotism  of  any  other  soldiers  under  the  sun. 
The  usual  stimulants  to  patriotism  are,  first,  the 
righteousness  of  its  cause.  Hence  the  leaders  in 
mortal  combat  always  try  to  impress  their  soldiers 
that  the  cause  for  which  they  fight  is  honorable,  just, 
and  glorious. 

The  most  desperate  fighters  have  always  been  those 
who  make  it  a  matter  of  conscience,  and  those  who 
believe  that  God  or  the  gods  approve  their  conduct, 
and  will  give  success  to  their  arms. 

You  have  heard  of  the  old  Quaker  friend,  who, 
passing  through  a  wood  near  Gen.  Washington's 
camp,  on  the  eve  of  an  engagement  with  the  enemy, 
found  the  old  General  behind  a  tree  on  liis  knees. 

He  hastened  home  and  said  to  his  wife,  "  The  army 
of  Washington  will  have  victory  to-day !" 

'•How  does  thee  know  that?"  inquired  the  good 
matron.     He  replied, 

"As  I  came  through  the  wood  I  saw  Washington 
on  his  knees." 

Washington  not  only  had  a  God  with  whom  to 
plead  on  behalf  of  his  country,  but  a  cause  he  was 
not  ashamed  to  plead  before  him. 

So  Joshua  turned  the  tide  of  battle  against  the 
Amalekites,  and  swept  them  from  the  field,  because 


144  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

lie  iiacl  right  on  his  side,  and  because,  on  an  adjacent 
hill,  Moses,  the  man  of  God,  was  kneeling,  and 
stretching  up  his  hands  in  earnest  prayer  to  the 
great  Arbiter  of  battles. 

I  suppose  that  no  cause  of  carnal  warfare  has 
arisen  which  may  be  legitimately  set  down  as  entirely 
right,  although  the  right  may  sometimes  largely  pre- 
ponderate on  one  side  or  the  other,  nor  can  the  final 
results  of  such  wars  be  known  in  advance. 

But  the  cause  of  God  and  salvation,  for  which 
soldiers  of  the  cross  contend,  is  wholly  right — was 
always  right,  honorable,  and  glorious;  and  however 
long  and  apparently  doubtful  the  contest  may  be,  the 
Lord's  side  will  ultimately  gain  the  victory. 

The  little  stone  which  Daniel  saw  will  roll  on, 
smiting  and  destroying  every  opposing  force,  till  ^'it 
shall  become  a  great  mountain,  and  fill  the  whole 
earth."  Our  cause  is  not  only  a  righteous  one,  but 
He  who  bowed  on  the  mount  so  frequently,  while 
sojourning  amon^  men,  is  still  praying  for  the  success 
of  the  arms  of  Israel.  ^'He  ever  liveth  to  make 
intercession  for  us." 

Again:  add  to  the  conscious  right  of  the  soldier's 
cause  the  evils  to  be  averted  or  thrown  off,  and  the 
advantages  to  be  gained. 

"Soldier,  what  is  your  object  in  bearing  arms?" 
"To  break  the  oppressor's  yoke,  and  secure  the  liber- 
ties of  my  people  !"  It  was  the  combined  power  of 
these  two  motives  that  roused  the  noble  daring  of 
Winkelried. 


EAE  NEST  NESS.  145 

^Twas  this  spirit,  my  brother,  that  fired  the  patri- 
otic hearts  of  our  old  grandfiither  and  his  noble  com- 
peers in  their  deadly  struggle  for  American  inde- 
pendence. These  two  mighty  motive  forces  led  the 
patriots  of  the  Revolution  to  mortal  combat,  nerving 
their  muscles  to  drive  the  steel  with  deadly  effect, 
and  their  hearts  to  receive  it,  and  pour  out  their 
blood  on  the  altar  of  liberty. 

It  was  this  that  stirred  the  great  soul  of  Jonathan 
to  battle  with  the  Philistine  host.  The  utter  degra- 
dation and  bondage  of  Israel  at  that  time  are  clearly 
set  forth  in  a  single  paragraph  by  the  sacred  histo- 
rian. "Now  there  was  no  smith  found  throughout  all 
the  land  of  Israel;  for  the  Philistines  said.  Lest  the 
Hebrews  make  them  swords  or  spears:  but  all  the 
Israelites  went  down  to  the  Philistines  to  sharpen 
every  man  his  share,  and  his  coulter,  and  his  ax,  and 
his  mattock.  So  it  came  to  pass  in  the  day  of  bat- 
tle, that  there  was  neither  sword  nor  spear  found  in 
the  hand  of  any  of  the  people  that  were  with  Saul 
and  Jonathan :  but  with  Saul  and  with  Jonathan  his 
son  was  there  found."  Their  enemies  had  taken 
from  them  all  their  swords,  and  all  their  smiths,  so 
that  they  could  manufacture  no  more. 

But  Jonathan  surprised  and  took  the  old  Philistine 
garrison  in  Gibeah,  and  the  tocsin  of  war  was  at 
once  sounded  throughout  Philistia:  "  And  the  Philis- 
tines gathered  themselves  together  to  fight  with  Is- 
rael, thirty  thousand  chariots,  and  six  thousand  horse- 
men, and  people    as   the   saud  which  is   on  the  sea 


146  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

shore  in  multitude :  and  they  came  up,  and  pitched  in 
Michmash,  eastward  from  Beth-aven. 

"When  the  men  of  Israel  saw  that  they  were  in  a 
strait,  (for  the  people  were  distressed,)  then  the  peo- 
ple did  hide  themselves  in  caves,  and  in  thickets,  and 
in  rocks,  and  in  high  places,  and  ih  pits.  And  some 
of  the  Hebrews  went  over  Jordan  to  the  land  of  Gad 
and  Gilead."  There  was  a  general  stampede  of  the 
soldiers  and  civilians  all  together,  so  that  Saul  had 
left  to  oppose  this  innumerable  host,  standing  army, 
volunteers  and  all,  six  hundred  poor  fellows,  "  who 
followed  him  trembling,"  and  but  two  swords  in  the 
army. 

Jonathan  and  his  armor-bearer  withdrew  from  the 
little  trembling  band  to  prepare  for  battle.  I  have  no 
doubt  that  Jonathan  found  a  secret  place  among  the 
rocks,  where  he  bowed  before  God  under  the  burden 
of  his  country's  woes  and  prayed,  by  the  greatness 
and  goodness  of  their  patriarchal  fathers  and  the 
prowess  of  their  arms,  by  the  prosperity  and  liberty 
of  past  years,  by  the  penitential  grief  of  his  peo- 
ple for  the  sins  which  had  brought  on  them  such 
calamities,  by  the  honor  of  God  as  the  Lord  of  Is- 
rael's hosts,  by  the  absolute  slavery  of  his  people 
and  the  overthrow  of  the  altars  of  God,  by  the  pres- 
ent impending  storm  of  war,  especially  by  the  prom- 
ises of  God  that  though  his  people  might  sin,  yet 
ypon  repentance  he  would  be  gracious  and  deliver 
them  from  their  enemies.  Jonathan  importuned  till, 
by  the  righteousness  of  his  cause,  and  the  belief  that 


EARNESTNESS.  147 

God  was  on  his  side,  he  conceived  the  daring  design 
of  attacking  the  Philistine  host  alone,  lay  himself  with 
his  faithful  armor-bearer  on  the  altar  of  his  country, 
and  conquer  or  die. 

"  And  Jonathan  said  to  the  young  man  that  bare 
his  armor,  Come  let  us  go  over  unto  the  garrison  of 
these  uncircumcised:  it  may  be  that  the  Lord  will  work 
for  us :  for  there  is  no  restraint  to  the  Lord  to  save 
by  many  or  by  few.  And  his  armor-bearer  said  unto 
him,  Do  all  that  is  in  thy  heart :  turn  thee  :  behold  I 
am  with  thee  according  to  thy  heart."  Earnest,  no- 
ble, godly  patriots  were  these.  Their  faith  and  cour- 
age were  owned  of  God — the  hosts  trembled,  the 
earth  quaked,  panic  and  dreadful  slaughter  ensued, 
the  field  was  swept,  and  the  yoke  of  bondage  broken. 

Saul,  meantime,  was  puddering  round  the  ark  of 
God,  and  consulting  a  priest  to  know  what  he  had 
better  do. 

The  Church  has  always  been  burdened  with  these 
formal,  poking  souls,  who  are  always  behind  the 
times,  expecting  God  to  do  his  business  by  their 
stereotyped  modes;  and  when,  through  some  earnest 
Jonathan,  he  gives  to  the  Church  a  great  victory, 
then  they  come  in  to  share  the  spoils,  and  mar  the 
work  by  their  unreasonable  dictation  and  burdens, 
and  Jonathan  must  be  slain  if  he  does  not  conform 
to  the  letter. 

Why  may  we  not  have  the  patriotism  of  Jonathan 
infused  into  all  the  captains  and  soldiers  of  the 
militant  Church  ?     We  have  an  infinitely  more  glori- 


148  TUE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

ous  altar  on  which  to  offer  our  lives,  greater  evils  to 
avert,  greater  achievements  to  gain — victory  and  re- 
ward immutably  certain. 

The  history  of  the  militant  Church  furnishes  illus- 
trious examples  of  that  earnestness  which  the  im- 
portance of  the  work  demands ;  but  why  can  we  not 
have  them  multiplied  ?  Look  at  Moses  "  in  the 
breach."  Look  at  Aaron  running  out  into  the  congre- 
gation to  meet  and  arrest  the  fatal  plague,  or  fall 
with  his  people.  The  plague  was  staid,  and  there 
stood  the  man  of  God  on  the  line  between  the  living 
and  the  dead.  Look  at  the  God-man  drinking  the 
poison-cup  of  death  to  secure  for  us  "the  cup  of  sal- 
vation." "We  have  an  altar,"  which  was  sanctified 
and  honored  by  the  offering  up  of  the  body  of  Christ 
upon  it.  It  was  the  early  martyr's  glory  to  die  on 
that  altar.  St.  Paul  hailed  the  opportunity  with 
gladness,  saying,  "  I  am  now  ready  to  be  offered,  and 
the  time  of  my  departure  is  at  hand.  I  have  fought 
a  good  fight,  I  have  finished  my  course,  I  have  kept 
the  faith :  henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown 
of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the  righteous 
Judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day :  and  not  to  me  only, 
but  to  all  them  also  that  love  his  appearing." 

How  this  glorious  reward  contrasts  with  that  of  the 
poor  soldier  who  falls  in  mortal  combat !  He  gets  a 
hole  shot  through  his  body,  the  burial  of  an  ass,  his 
name  spelled  wTong  in  the  papers,  a  small  pension 
for  his  poor  family,  and,  in  too  many  cases,  alas! 
gets  his  poor  soul  into  perdition. 


EARNESTNESS.  149 

Saving  souls,  mj  brother,  is  the  greatest  business 
iu  this  world,  and  I  doubt  if  God  has  for  us  a  more 
glorious  work  in  heaven.  Think  of  the  priceless 
value  of  a  soul.  Think  of  the  horrors  of  hell,  of  the 
joys  of  heaven,  the  ministration  of  express  angels, 
who  bear  our  war  dispatches  daily  to  headquarters, 
and  to  all  the  family  in  heaven.  Think  of  the  Cap- 
tain of  our  salvation  at  the  head  of  the  army  in 
every  engagement,  looking  to  see  us  do  our  duty. 
Should  we  not  be  in  earnest,  my  brother?  The 
great  Teacher  was  sociable,  affable,  kind,  very  affec- 
tionate to  the  little  children,  but  always  in  earnest. 


150  THE    MODEL     PREACHER. 


LETTER  IX. 

NATURALNESS. 

My  Dear  Brother, — The  third  characteristic  of 
the  great  Teacher's  model  which  I  desire  now,  by  the 
help  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  illustrate,  is  naturalness, 
which  is  an  element  of  power  quite  as  essential  to 
success  as  clearness  or  earnestness — naturalness  in 
opposition  to  affectation ;  in  opposition  to  monoto- 
nous sameness,  and  to  a  stiff,  formal  style. 

The  thoughts  of  the  mind,  the  emotions  of  the 
soul,  the  intonations  of  the  voice,  are  all  characterized 
by  the  same  variety  that  marks  all  God's  works  in 
the  kingdoms  of  nature,  providence,  and  grace. 

There  is  such  harmony  in  nature,  such  an  adapta- 
tion of  nature  in  all  its  variety  to  the  demands  and 
tastes  of  the  human  mind,  that  every  object  in  nature 
is  to  us  a  matter  of  interest;  even  the  gnarled  oak  is 
an  object  of  interest.  We  watch  its  growth,  and  see 
how  it  struggles  to  recover  itself  from  the  injuries  it 
received  when  but  a  sapling  or  a  sprig. 

The  song  of  birds,  the  murmur  of  the  stream,  the 
roar  of  the  water-fall,  the  varieties  of  the  landscape, 
the  welcome  sunlight  of  early  morn,  every  thing  in 
nature  so  addresses  itself  to  the  eye,  the  ear,  the 
head,  the  heart,  as  to  arrest  attention,  excite  feeling, 
and  impart  instruction. 


NATURALNESS.  151 

The  natural,  easj  attitudes  of  the  human  form,  the 
natural  expressions  of  the  human  face,  the  spontane- 
ous, unrestrained  manifestations  of  the  thoughts  of 
the  mind,  and  the  soul's  emotions,  all  come  under  this 
rule,  but  should  exceed,  in  interest  and  attractiveness, 
every  other  department  of  nature,  as  far  as  its  supe- 
riority rises  higher  than  any  other  variety  or  form  of 
nature. 

If  a  man  has  an  interesting  story  to  tell,  has  it 
clear  in  his  mind,  has  his  own  heart's  emotions  stirred 
with  it,  and  will  tell  it  naturally — that  is,  let  the 
spontaneous  intonations  of  his  voice  express  the  vari- 
ety of  his  own  thoughts  and  feelings  on  the  subject — 
1  '11  warrant  you  he  will  arrest  attention,  impart  not 
only  his  thoughts,  but  his  emotions,  waking,  stirring, 
and  interesting  his  hearers. 

Another  man  just  his  opposite,  as  far  as  possible, 
in  every  thing,  size,  gesture,  tone  of  voice,  manner 
of  thought  and  expression,  yet,  if  he  is  a  man  of 
equal  force,  and  has  a  story  to  tell  of  equal  interest, 
and  will  conform  to  the  same  rule  of  naturalness,  he 
will  arrest  attention,  and  make  as  marked  an  impres- 
sion as  the  other. 

But  if  they  depart  from  this  rule,  and  try  to  imitate 
each  other,  or  any  body  else,  each  will  make  a  fool  of 
himself;  exciting  in  the  minds  of  their  hearers  disap- 
pointment and  sorrow,  or  contempt,  according  to 
their  disposition  toward  them.  A  preacher,  for  ex- 
ample, who  tries  to  imitate  the  style  of  Bishop  Simp- 
son, or  any  other  distinguished  orator,  descends  from 


152  THE     MODEL     PKEACIIEll. 

the  dignity  of  an  original,  attractive  man,  as  God  has 
made  him,  to  the  grade  of  a  four-footed  animal,  if  not 
one  of  the  long-cared  tribe,  one  at  least  not  more  re- 
spectable and  less  useful — naniplj,  an  ape.  If  the 
imitation  be  voluntary,  it  is  contemptible ;  if  involun- 
tary, it  is  pitiable ;  in  either  case  fatal  to  eiiectiveness 
for  good. 

Many  causes  contribute  to  an  unnatural,  monoto- 
nous, stiff  stjde,  some  of  which  I  will  mention : 

1.  A  want  of  a  just  appreciation  of  our  own  natu- 
ralness, as  an  essential  element  of  power  in  public  or 
private  discourse. 

2.  A  want  of  clearness  as  to  the  matter  of  dis- 
course, or  suitable  language  in  which  to  express  it, 
which  leads  to  confusion  and  embarrassment. 

3.  A  want  of  emotion  on  the  part  of  the  speaker, 
either  because  he  has  nothing  worth  communicating, 
or  is  so  indifferent  in  regard  to  it  that  it  fails  ta 
wake  his  own  emotions,  and  must,  therefore,  fail  to 
awake  the  emotions  of  his  hearers. 

4.  The  adoption  and  imitation  of  an  absurd,  falla- 
cious standard  of  oratory,  embracing,  as  its  leading 
excellences,  beautifully-rounded  periods  and  a  higlily- 
WTOught,  ornate  style,  in  tones  of  lofty  declamation, 
such  as  some  may  imagine  that  Cicero  or  Demosthe- 
nes may  have  employed.  The  test  of  true  oratory  is 
found  in  the  hearts  of  the  hearers,  and  not  in  their 
ears  alone. 

Persuasive  speaking,  that  imparts  light  to  the  un- 
derstanding, conviction  to  the  conscience,  emotion  to 


NATURALNESS.  153 

the  heart,  enabling  the  speaker  to  cause  the  thoughts 
and  feelings  of  his  audience  to  flo-sv  freely  into  the 
various  channels  of  interesting  reflection  which  his 
subject  may  open  before  them — that  is  eloquence, 
Y/hether  the  speaker  be  man,  woman,  or  child. 

5.  A  servile  fear  of  violating  some  favorite  stand- 
ard in  the  minds  of  critical  hearers,  which  restrains 
the  spontaneous  expressions  of  the  speaker's  thoughts 
and  feelings,  and  results  in  stiifness  and  embarrass- 
ment. 

6.  Nearly  allied  to  this  is  a  want  of  confidence  and 
self-possession  on  the  part  of  the  speaker,  arising 
from  constitutional  or  habitual  bashfulness,  or  igno- 
rance of  his  own  power,  or  ignorance  of  his  subject 
of  discourse,  or  fear  to  encounter  the  prejudices  or 
criticisms  of  his  hearers,  or  conscious  inability  to 
carry  the  stronger  intellects  of  his  audience.  Self- 
conceit — an  overestimate  of  one's  power — what  is 
vulgarly  known  as  the  "big  head" — is  fatal.  Solo- 
mon says  "there  is  more  hope  of  a  fool  than  of 
him." 

7.  The  usual  modes  of  declamation  practiced  in  our 
schools  and  colleges  have  a  great  deal  to  do  in  creat- 
ing the  stiif,  straight-jacketed,  formal  declamation 
of  the  times — most  unnatural  and  inefficient. 

8.  Many  good  ministers,  in  the  manifestation  of 
their  earnestness,  "run  off  in  the  gears,"  and  spoil 
their  naturalness.  They  shoot  up  like  a  balloon 
about  an  octave,  above  their  ordinary  tones,  and  swing, 
and  sweat,  and  harp  there  on  one  key,  dropping  per- 


154  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

haps  a  tone  at  the  close  of  each  sentence.  The  au- 
dience loses  sight  of  the  subject  through  their  excited 
fears  that  the  man  will  "burst  a  boiler,"  and  expire. 
Finally,  with  a  shattered,  squeaky  voice,  he  takes  his 
seat,  and  the  fears  of  the  audience  give  place  to  their 
rising  hopes  that  their  dear  preacher,  having  again 
run  the  gauntlet,  has  escaped  without  any  serious  in- 
jury to  himself. 

If  any  man  wishes  to  test  the  unnaturalness  of 
such  a  performance,  just  let  him  go  into  the  parlor 
of  one  of  his  intelligent  parishioners,  and  repeat  the 
same  thing  there  in  his  domestic  circle.  Before  he  is 
half  through,  his  parishioner  will  beg  him:  "0,  sir. 
if  you  please,  that  will  do !  that  will  do !  I  under- 
stand it  all ;  do,  0  do  quit !" 

I  speak  of  this  matter  in  all  seriousness,  my 
brother,  for  it  is  a  very  serious  matter,  involving  the 
destiny  of  deathless  souls,  but  I  speak  advisedly  from 
what  I  have  felt,  seen,  and  heard  on  the  subject,  for 
I  have  had  a  sad  experience  in  this  matter.  This 
style,  however,  is  greatly  superior  to  a  prosy,  phleg- 
matic style,  deficient  both  in  sense  and  sound,  for  the 
former  often  embraces,  in  a  good  degree,  the  two 
first  essential  elements  of  power  of  which  I  have 
spoken,  and  hence  is  frequently  very  effective. 

If,  however,  their  naturalness  was  equal  to  their 
clearness  and  earnestness,  the  good  effect  would  be 
doubly  great. 

I  sincerely  sympathize  with  my  dear  brethren, 
who    from    long    habit    find    themselves    unable    to 


NATURALNESS.  155 

break  the  cords  of  a  strait-jacket,  the  tram- 
mels   of   which  they   have   long   felt   and   deplored. 

We  can  not  fully  appreciate  or  know  that  perfection 
of  naturalness  exhibited  in  the  great  Teacher's  intona- 
tions and  action,  and  yet  the  fact  that  the  popular 
masses,  the  most  illiterate  as  w^ell  as  the  most  learned, 
were  so  carried  away  by  his  eloquence,  even  the  little 
boys  and  girls  could  understand  him,  and  shouted 
*'hosanna"  under  his  preaching,  and  the  fact  that 
his  social  qualities  w^ere  so  remarkable,  causing  him 
to  mix  freely  with  all  classes,  embracing  the  children — 
all  these,  together  with  the  transparent  simplicity 
and  naturalness  of  his  discourses  recorded  in  the 
New  Testament,  go  to  prove  clearly  that  perfect  nat- 
uralness was  a  prominent  characteristic  of  his  minis- 
trations. It  is  still  an  essential  element  of  power  in 
any  kind  of  speaking,  in  the  pulpit  or  out  of  it. 

I  do  not  mean  to  say,  my  brother,  that  Ave  should 
not  correct  any  natural  awkwardness  or  defects  in 
nervous,  muscular,  and  vocal  action,  nor  that  we 
should  not  improve  them. 

Our  muscles,  nerves,  and  vocal  powers,  in  reference 
to  style  of  delivery,  are  as  susceptible  of  education 
and  require  it  as  much  as  any  other  function  of  the 
physical  and  mental  constitution ;  but  the  true  idea  of 
education  in  regard  to  any  or  all  of  these,  does  not 
consist  in  stuffing  and  stereotyping  them,  according 
to  some  fixed  standard,  but  in  their  development,  in 
all  their  native  simplicity  and  originality  of  strength 
and  variety. 


156  THE     MODEL    PREACHER. 

By  naturalness  of  delivery,  adapted  to  the  pulpit 
or  the  platform,  I  do  not  mean  a  colloquial  style 
alone.     It  embraces  that,  but  much  more. 

The  human  voice  possesses  wonderful  compass  and 
variety  of  tone,  adapted  to  the  expression  of  all  the 
variety  of  the  heart's  emotions.  Every  variation  of 
thought  and  of  feeling,  from  the  ripple  of  the  rill  up 
to  the  thunder  of  the  cataract,  has  its  appropriate 
tone,  varying  from  the  soft  whisper  of  secret  confi- 
dence and  the  sweet  call  of  the  fond  mother,  '^  Come 
here,  my  little  Johnny,  come  to  ma,"  up  to  the 
scream  of  sudden  horror,  the  shriek  of  wild  despair, 
the  trumpet  command,  and  the  thunder  of  defiance. 

If  the  speaker  possess  the  emotions  in  his  own 
heart,  let  him  give  them  out  in  their  appropriate 
tones  to  the  life.  If  he  does  not  possess  them,  he 
need  not  try  to  impart  them. 

I  remember  one  night,  nearly  ten  years  ago,  in 
San  Francisco,  when  water  was  v%'orth  a  shilling  per 
pail,  having  previous  permission,  I  went  to  a  neigh- 
bor's well  for  a  bucket  of  water.  I  pumped  away  for 
a  minute,  but  no  water  came.  I  went  at  it  again 
with  more  earnestness  of  efibrt  to  make  it  come,  when 
I  heard  the  good  lady  of  the  house,  who  did  not 
know  that  she  was  talking  to  her  minister,  exclaim 
in  a  most  authoritative  tone,  "  Let  that  pump  alone ! 
The-  water  is  all  out  of  the  well,  and  you  '11  spoil  the 
pump."  If  there  is  no  water  in  the  well,  no  emotion 
in  the  soul,  you  had  better  let  the  pump  alone  till  tbo 
■water  rises. 


NATURALNESS.  157 

A  man  can  not  speak  with  naturalness  unless  he 
has  yomething  to  saj,  and  feels  it  in  his  own  heart. 
A  man  getting  up  simply  to  say  something,  is  not 
likely  to  speak  with  interest  or  advantage  to  his 
hearers  or  himself. 

Do  not  think,  m.y  brother,  of  trying  to  interest  an 
audience  with  any  thing  that  you  could  not  tell  with 
interest  to  one  man.  That  is  a  very  good  rule  of 
testing  your  preaching  matter,  which  has  been  prac- 
tical in  my  experience  for  years. 

Any  dry  arrangement  that  would  be  a  bore  to  one 
man,  will  be  no  better  when  preached  to  a  thousand, 
and  a  style  that  would  not  please  and  entertain  one 
man,  will  be  but  little  better  suited  to  the  mass. 
But  for  the  fact  that  custom  has  so  long  sanctioned 
the  stiff,  unnatural  style  so  common,  the  people  would 
not  endure  it.  Yet  that  is  one  principal  reason  why 
we  so  often  preach  to  empty  seats. 

Let  the  subject-matter  of  your  discourse,  together 
with  your  arguments,  illustrations,  and  points  of  ap- 
plication, be  clear  in  your  own  mind.  Let  your  heart 
be  burdened  and  thrilled  with  its  importance ;  claim 
the  promised  presence  of  Jesus ;  arise  before  your 
audience  with  the  conscious  fact  in  your  heart,  "  I  am 
an  embassador  of  Christ,  sent  to  treat  with  dying, 
eternity-bound  souls :  upon  the  effect  of  my  message 
to-day  hangs  probably  the  destiny  of  more  than  one 
of  my  hearers.  0  Jesus,  hast  thou  not  sent  me? 
Am  I  not  ^teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  what- 
soever thou   hast   commanded?'      Thou  wilt  be  with 


158  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

me  according  to  thy  promise.  Holy  Spirit,  thou  wilt 
attend  thine  own  truth.  I  can  not  sound  the  depths 
of  the  heart.  I  can  not  turn  the  tide  of  depravity 
in  the  sinner's  heart.  Thou  alone  canst  do  the  work. 
I  will  by  thy  grace  do  the  best  I  can,  and  leave  my- 
self, my  cause,  and  my  people  in  thy  hands." 

Having  thus,  my  brother,  invoked  divine  aid,  then 
talk  to  the  mass  as  you  would  talk  to  one  man ;  speak 
with  sufficient  volume  of  voice  and  distinctness  to  be 
heard  by  all.  You  instinctively  know  the  elevation 
of  voice  necessary  to  reach  every  ear  in  your  audi- 
ence. When  speaking  to  a  man  at  your  side  you 
know  how  loud  to  speak ;  so  when  speaking  to  a  man 
across  the  street  you  by  instinct  know  the  volume  of 
voice  necessary  to  reach  him,  and  you  speak  to  him 
as  naturally  as  to  the  man  by  your  side. 

The  ease  and  clearness  with  which  you  can  be  heard 
depend  as  much  upon  the  distinctness  and  emphasis 
of  your  pronunciation  as  upon  the  volume  of  your 
voice.  Each  syllable  should  be  pronounced  distinctly; 
not  in  a  slow,  measured,  stiff  style,  but  with  the  ease 
and  naturalness  of  familiar  conversation.  Your  em- 
phasis, especially,  should  be  clear  and  distinct.  You 
can  not  make  every  word  in  a  sentence  emphatic, 
much  less  all  the  words  in  a  discourse. 

In  emphasizing  all,  you  destroy  the  entire  effect  of 
emphasis — you  have  a  picture  all  light  or  all  shade, 
that  is  no  picture  at  all.  Emphasis  pertains  espe- 
cially to  words  and  syllables. 

Each  word  representing  a  new  or  an  additional  idea 


NATURALNESS.  159 

in  the  sentence  is,  upon  its  introduction  into  the  dis- 
course, an  emphatic  word.  The  same  word  repeated 
in  the  same  connection  is  not  emphatic.  If  you  re- 
peat it  in  connection  with  a  qualifying  word,  designed 
to  add  force  to  the  thought,  then  the  emphasis  will  be 
on  the  qualifying  word — adjective  or  adverb,  as  the 
case  may  be. 

In  listening  to  children  and  half-tamed  savages,  you 
will  find  that  they,  so  far  from  emphasizing  little  con- 
nectives and  unimportant  words,  frequently  leave 
them  out  altogether,  giving  simply  the  emphatic 
words. 

Words  and  syllables  not  emphatic  should  only  re- 
ceive stress  of  voice  sufficient  to  make  them  heard, 
and  should  be  pronounced  more  rapidly  than  the  em- 
phatic ones.  You  make  a  word  or  syllable  emphatic, 
not  only  by  the  force  of  voice  you  give  it,  but  by  the 
time  you  give  to  its  pronunciation,  with  a  short  pause 
both  before  and  after  it.  These  suggestions  apply 
alike  both  to  speaking  and  reading. 

I  have  but  little  to  say  in  regard  to  gestures,  only 
do  not  make  too  many,  and  try  to  correct  any  awk- 
ward habits  of  gesture  into  which  you  may  have  fallen. 
Gestures  should  not  be  employed  to  cover  over  your 
poverty  of  thought  and  want  of  emotion,  but  should 
follow  as  the  result  of  burning  thoughts  and  emotions 
struggling  for  utterance,  not  only  by  the  voice,  but 
by  the  light  and  shade  of  the  countenance,  the  flash- 
ing of  the  eye,  the  attitudes  of  the  body,  and  action  of 
the  limbs. 


160  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

In  giving  yonr  own  thoughts  and  feelings  consult 
your  native  instincts,  and  give  them  to  the  life,  in  all 
simplicity  and  naturalness. 

In  representing  the  thoughts  and  emotions  of  oth- 
ers, try  to  bring  yourself  fully  into  sympathy,  both 
in  thought  and  emotion,  with  the  originals  you  wish 
to  represent,  and  give  them,  as  far  as  practicable,  in 
their  own  words,  and  in  tones  and  gestures  to  the  life, 
such  as  we  would  naturally  conceive  the  originals 
would  employ.  To  do  this  successfully  a  man  must 
be  thoroughly  acquainted  with  his  subject. 

Any  common  school-boy  can  commit  an  old  speech 
and  repeat  it  from  memory,  according  to  the  ordinary 
standard  of  declamation,  but  to  conform  to  the  law  of 
naturalness  to  which  I  refer,  a  man  must  be  "  master 
of  his  art."  I  do  n't  mean  that  a  man  must  be  per- 
fect in  it  before  he  can  attain  to  great  usefulness  by 
it;  and  yet  his  success,  every  thing  else  being  equal, 
will  be  in  proportion  to  his  conformity  to  this  law.  1 
am  not  sure  that  we  have  had  a  perfect  master  in  it 
since  the  days  of  Jesus,  though  a  great  many  are  per- 
fect beyond  the  detection  of  ordinary  hearers.  So 
fixr  as  I  am  concerned,  though  I  think  I  have  a  clear 
ideal  of  it,  yet,  as  it  regards  my  own  progress  in  it,  I 
feel  something  like  Sir  Isaac  Newton  felt  in  regard  to 
his  scientific  attainments,  when  he  said,  "  I  am  like  a 
child  gathering  up  pebbles  along  the  shore,  while  the 
great  ocean  of  truth,  unexplored,  is  spread  out  be- 
fore me." 

A  minister  said  to  me,  not  long  since,  ^'  There  is  no 


NATURALNESS.  161 

such  thing  as  naturalness.  We  are  all  imitative  be- 
ings. Our  first  acts  of  volition  are  acts  of  imitation, 
and  we  go  on  from  that  time  in  the  same  way.  If 
there  is  such  a  thing,  where  shall  we  find  a  standard 
by  which  we  may  know  what  is  natural  and  what 
is  not?" 

I  admit  that,  masked  and  trained  by  the  rules  of 
etiquette,  as  much  as  humanity  is,  it  would  be  very 
difficult  to  find  much  naturalness  in  ''  polite  society." 

A  minister,  by  invitation,  went  to  dine  with  a  gen- 
tleman who  lived  in  a  mansion,  and  had  every  thing 
about  him  in  great  style. 

Soon  after  the  preacher  was  seated,  he  incidentally 
heard  the  lady  of  the  house,  whom  he  had  not  yet 
seen,  talking  to  her  husband  in  another  room,  and 
saying,  ^'I'll  teach  you  how  to  bring  a  strange 
preacher  here  without  giving  me  due  notice!  You 
know  better  than  that.  I've  not  prepared  a  dinner 
for  strangers  to-day,  and  there's  no  time  now  to  pre- 
pare it,  and  I  wouldn't  do  it  if  there  was.  I'm 
ashamed  of  you  for  such  conduct,  and  I  want  you 
never  to  be  guilty  of  the  like  again." 

The  curtain  lecture,  which  was  distressingly  natural, 

closed,    and   soon   after   the    same   lady,   splendidly 

attired,  was  introduced  to  the  preacher,  saying,  as  she 

bowed  gracefully,  ''I  am  delighted  to  see  you,  sir.     I 

have  heard  my  dear  husband  speak  of  you  so  often, 

that  I  felt  that  I  was  acquainted  with  you  before,  and 

now  it  is  with  unfeigned  pleasure  that  we  welcome  you 

as  our  guest." 

14 


162  THE    MODEL    PREACHEE. 

To  find  a  standard  of  naturalness  by  which  to  un- 
learn the  stiff,  unnatural  modes  we  have  acquired  by 
habitual  imitation,  we  have  to  go  back  to  our  starting- 
point  in  life,  and  take  lessons  from  the  children,  and 
from  the  undisguised  and  unrestrained  manifestations 
of  thought  and  feeling  as  furnished  in  the  ordinary 
walks  of  life. 

Look  and  listen  at  the  naturalness  of  the  little  boys 
and  girls  in  action,  intonation,  emphasis,  every  thing. 
Hear  one  relate  the  story  of  an  exciting  scene  which 
he  has  just  witnessed;  he  will  scarcely  misapply  a 
tone.  He  will  put  the  emphasis,  in  most  cases,  just 
where  it  ought  to  be.  When  he  comes  to  a  very  em- 
phatic point  he  will  pause,  according  to  the  rule  before 
indicated,  as  if  to  select  a  word  strong  enough,  and  to 
"gather  a  head"  of  breath  and  emotional  power  to  ex- 
press it,  then  pause  again,  and  proceed  with  his  nar- 
rative in  a  softer  tone  till  he  comes  to  another  em- 
phatic point.  His  ideas  may  be  very  erroneous,  but 
his  conceptions  of  what  he  wants  to  say  are  clear,  and 
his  earnest  little  soul  is  filled  with  the  subject.  He  has 
clearness,  earnestness,  and  naturalness;  he  is  an  orator. 

I  took  a  little  girl  of  four  summers  on  my  knee,  a 
few  days  ago,  and  having  so  commended  myself  to 
her  good  feelings,  that  she  felt  quite  at  home  in  my 
company,  I  said  to  her,  "I  liad  a  sweet  little  girl 
once,  and  called  her  Oceana,  because  the  Lord  gave 
her  to  us  away  out  on  the  ocean.  She  was  a  very 
pretty  little  girl.  The  Lord  loved  her,  and  took  her 
up  to  heaven  to  live  with  Jesus." 


NATURALNESS.  163 

"Did  you  tell  lier  she  might  go?"  inquired  little 
Alia. 

She  afterward  frequently  said  to  me,  "  I  'm  going 
to  live  with  Jesus  too,  when  I  die,  and  I  '11  see  your 
little  girl  up  there,  won't  I?" 

At  the  tea-table  she  again  introduced  the  subject, 
saying,  "Your  little  girl  went  up  to  heaven  to  live 
with  Jesus,  didn't  she?" 

"Yes,  Alia,  she  went  to  live  with  Jesus,"  I  replied. 

"  Yes,"  continued  she,.  "  Mr.  Jesus  come  out  to  the 
fence  when  he  saw  her  coming,  and  stood  and  looked 
till  your  little  girl  got  up  close,  and  said,  '  Come  in, 
my  little  girl,  come  in.'" 

When  my  little  Charlie,  four  years  old,  w^as  nearly 
dead  with  the  small-pox,  he  would  frequently  wake 
me  during  the  night  to  pray  for  him,  saying,  "Pa,  pa, 
won't  you  tell  the  Lord  to  please  to  make  me  well?" 

I  would  then  tell  the  Lord  to  pity  my  dear  boy  and 
make  him  well. 

"I'm  glad  that  Jesus  died  for  sinners,  an't  you  pa?" 

Wearied  with  watching — for  I  nursed  him  day  and 
night  for  nearly  a  month,  and  was  sick  with  varioloid 
at  the  same  time,  myself — I  would  soon  fall  asleep 
again,  but  the  sleepless  little  sufferer  would  soon 
wake  me  up,  saying,  "Pa,  pa,  won't  you  tell  me  how 
to  pray  to  the  Lord  to  make  me  w^ell?" 

"Yes,  my  dear  boy,  the  Lord  loves  you,  and  he  is 
listening,  and  I  '11  tell  you  what  to  say  to  him." 

He  then  repeated  after  me  a  little  prayer  adapted 
to  his  case. 


164  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

Then  said  he,  ''Pa,  if  the  Lord  loves  me,  why 
do  n't  he  make  m.e  well  ?" 

"I  think,  my  dear  boy,  he  will  make  you  well.  If 
fie  do  n't  he  will  take  you  up  to  live  with  the  angels, 
and  with  your  little  brothers,  and  your  little  sister 
Oce,  where  you  '11  never  get  sick  any  more.  But  I 
think  he  will  make  you  well." 

"Well,  pa,  y>'hen  do  you  think  he  will  make  me 
well?" 

"  In  about  two  w^eeks." 

"How  long  is  two  weeks?" 

Then  I  counted  the  days  in  the  week  and  explained. 

"0,"  said  the  little  fellow,  "I  do  wish  He  would 
make  haste." 

"During  the  prevalence  of  yellow  fever  in  New 
Orleans  last  summer,  a  gentleman  was  walking  out 
Spruce-street,  in  that  city,  and  saw  a  little  boy  lying 
on  the  grass  with  a  raging  fever.  He  shook  him  and 
said,  'What  are  you  doing  here,  my  boy?' 

"  'I'm  waiting  for  God  to  come  and  take  me,'  re- 
plied he.  'What  do  you  mean?'  inquired  the  gentle- 
man. 

"'God  took  away  my  father  and  mother,  and  my 
little  brother;  and  mother  told  me  to  .look  to  God, 
and  he  would  take  care  of  me.  I  have  been  lying 
out  here  all  night  and  all  day,  looking  up  in  the  sky 
for  God  to  come  and  take  me.  He  has  not  come,  but 
he  will  come,  for  mother  said  so,  and  mother  never 
told  a  lie.     He  will  come,  won't  he  ?' 

"The  man,  now  moved  to  a  flood  of  tears,  said, 


NATURALNESS.  165 

*Yes,  my  son,  God  has  sent  me  to  take  you,  and  I'll 
be  a  father  to  you.' 

" '  You  were  a  long  time  on  the  way,  but  I  know'd 
that  mother  would  n't  tell  a  lie,  and  God  has  sent 
you.'" 

I  give  these  incidents,  my  brother,  to  convey  to 
you  an  idea  of  the  simplicity  of  matter,  and  not  the 
manner  of  little  children;  that  you  will  find  out  by 
observation. 

You  will  learn  among  the  children,  and  in  the 
unrestrained  walks  of  life,  in  doors  and  out,  and 
among  the  suffering  in  hospitals  and  prisons,  what 
the  simplicity  of  nature  is,  and  by  diligent  study  and 
practice,  you  will  be  able  to  shake  off  the  trammels 
which  imitative  habits  have  fastened  upon  you;  and 
by  attention  to  your  own  instincts,  and  the  dictates 
of  common-sense,  you  will  not  only  get  back  into 
harmony  with  nature  in  this  regard,  but  may  so  edu- 
cate your  nerves,  muscles,  and  vocal  powers  as  to 
employ  them  naturally  and  effectively. 

When  this  habit  of  naturalness  is  formed,  its  spon- 
taneous manifestation  will  be  such  as  to  require  but 
little  attention,  except  to  the  subject  of  discourse. 

A  minister  once  said  to  me,  "  I  am  afraid  to  adopt 
the  natural  style  lest  my  preaching  should  be  consid- 
ered common  talk,  unsuited  to  the  dignity  of  the 
pulpit." 

One  said  to  me  not  long  since,  "  The  Gospel  is  a  very 
solemn  thing,  and  should  be  preached  in  a  very 
Bolemn  and  dignified  manner." 


166  THE    MODEL    PREACIIEIl. 

"A  stiff,  affected,  unnatural  stjic,"  I  replied,  "is 
inconsistent  Yvitli  the  dignified  solemnity  and  honest 
simplicity  of  the  Gospel." 

Dignity  and  solemnity,  my  brother,  do  not  consist 
in  big  "words,  highly-^vrought,  ncatlj^-rounded  sen- 
tences, and  measured  cadence. 

When  brother  and  sister  K.,  of  San  Francisco, 
learned  that  their  little  boy,  an  only  child  of  five 
years,  was  missing,  they  inquired,  "  Where  was  ho 
last  seen?" 

Sister  K.  said,  "He  went  out  at  the  back  door 
but  a  few  minutes  ago.  0,  I  'ra  afraid  he  has  fallen 
into  the  bay !" 

Away  they  went  inquiring  of  the  neighbors,  "Did 
3^ou  see  our  little  boy  ?" 

No  tidings  to  comfort  the  anguished  hearts  of  the 
fond  parents. 

They  were  seen  all  that  day  searching  along  the 
wharves,  wringing  their  hands  in  despair,  the  mother 
repeating  in  tones  that  caused  the  sturdy  sailors  to 
weep,  "  0,  my  dear  child !  my  dear  little  boy  is  gone ! 
0  that  I  could  see  him  once  m.ore !  Even  if  he  is 
drowned,  it  would  be  such  a  comfort  to  see  him !  0, 
to  think  of  my  dear  little  boy  being  eaten  up  by  th,e 
sharks !  0,  if  I  could  only  see  him  and  kiss  his  mar- 
ble brow,  and  bury  him  where  I  could  visit  his  grave, 
plant  sweet  flowers  on  it,  and  water  them  with  my 
tears !     0,  my  child,  my  dear  little  boy!" 

Late  that  evening  some  boatmen  picked  up  the 
body  of  the  drowned  boy  in  the  bay,  and  returned  it 


NATURALNESS.  167 

to  Ills  motlier.  The  next  day  I  laid  liis  little  body  in 
its  last  resting-place  in  Yerba  Buena  cemetery.  That 
'\vhole  scene  involved  great  solemnity,  but  no  big 
words  nor  stately  display. 

Henry  Helmcamp,  an  Lonest  shoemaker,  living  in 
Terro  Haute,  Indiana,  while  at  vvork  a  few  weeks 
since,  was  startled  by  the  roll  of  the  well  windlass, 
which  was  immediately  followed  by  the  shrieks  of  his 
wife,  ''0!  0!  Lizzie's  in  the  well!  0,  Henry! 
Henry  !"  and  fainted. 

The  half-frantic  father  ran  to  the  Vfell  and  called, 
*'  Lizzie,  Lizzie,  my  dear  child,  are  you  yet  alive  ?" 

The  well  was  sixty  feet  deep,  containing  ten  feet 
of  Avater. 

He  listened  and  heard  her  struggling  in  the  water, 
and  immediately  seizing  the  well-rope,  descended  as 
fast  as  the  laws  of  gravitation  would  carry  him. 

He  said  to  me  afterward,  "  As  I  v/ent  down,  I  felt 
the  well-rope  burning  and  tearing  the  flesh  off  my 
hands,  and  felt  as  though  I  must  let  go  and  fall,  but 
the  thought  immediately  struck  me,  'You'll  fall  on 
your  child  and  kill  her,'  so  I  held  on." 

Strange  as  it  may  appear,  Lizzie,  who  was  nine 
years  old,  was  but  little  hurt.  He  tied  her  in  the 
bucket,  and  she  vras  drawn  up.  He  then  tied  a  rope 
round  his  own  body,  and  his  neighbors  drew  him  up. 
The  palms  of  his  hands  Vfere  burnt  and  torn  off  to  the 
bone. 

"0  dear,  Mr.  Helmcamp,"  said  his  friends,  ''your 
hands  are  ruined !" 


168  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

*'  Never  mind  my  hands,"  replied  he.  "  Thank  God, 
I  saved  my  child."  There  Avas  solemnity  and  dig- 
nity too,  but  no  big  words  nor  pompous  display,  such 
as  many  would  consider  appropriate  to  the  pulpit. 

This  .same  brother  H.,  when  connected  with  a  fire 
company  in  Philadelphia,  ran  on  one  occasion  to  a 
great  fire,  and  learned  that  in  the  third  story  of  a 
building  in  flames,  there  was  a  child  whose  parents 
were  absent  at  some  public  meeting  in  another  part 
of  the  city.  The  second  story  floor  had  already 
fallen. 

He  hastily  ascended  a  ladder  to  the  third  story 
window,  and  rushing  in  through  smoke  and  flame, 
snatched  from  its  bed  the  baby  girl.  Just  as  he  got 
out  on  the  ladder  with  the  child  in  his  arms,  the  walls 
fell  in,  but  at  the  moment  of  the  general  crash,  the 
noble  vigilants  below  drew  the  ladder  up  and  held  it 
in  a  perpendicular  line,  while  the  rescuer  deliberately 
descended  to  the  ground  with  the  babe  unhurt. 

The  mother,  who  knew  nothing  of  all  this,  soon 
after  returned,  and  seeing  the  flaming  ruins  of  her 
house,  screamed  in  wildest  frenzy,  "  0  my  babe !"  and 
fell  apparently  dead. 

When  she  recovered  her  child  was  placed  in  her 
arms.  She  pressed  it  to  her  bosom,  laughing,  crying, 
and  shouting,  in  a  rapture  of  gladness.  This  scene 
was  solemn  and  sublime,  producing  a  variety  of  effect, 
stirring  the  soul's  profoundest  emotions,  but  no  af- 
fected display  of  Avords. 

Read  the  solemn,  simple,  sublime,  touching  story 


NATURALNESS.  169 

of  the  Shimaraite,  2  Kings,  chapter  iv;  also  the 
Savior's  account  of  the  Prodigal  Son. 

A  few  weeks  since  I  spent  a  night  at  Fort  "Wayne 
College.  Brother  Robinson,  the  President,  his  good 
lady,  and  myself,  having  returned  from  Church,  were 
conversing  in  the  parlor,  when  a  messenger  came  in 
and  handed  the  President  a  telegraphic  dispatch. 

"Where  is  it  from?"  inquired  brother  R. 

"  From  Lafayette,  sir.  It  contains  very  sad  news/' 
replied  the  messenger. 

The  President  held  it  a  moment  before  opening, 
evidently  bracing  himself  to  receive  the  shock  of 
some  dread  lightning-bolt  hurled  along  the  wires,  and 
about  to  enter  hisTieart. 

To  assist  him,  I  quoted,  "He  shall  not  be  afraid  of 
evil  tidings."  "  The  Judge  of  all  the  earth  will  do 
right." 

Then  breaking  it  open  he  read,  "Your  father  is 
low" — "0,  it's  my  dear  father."  Reading  again,  he 
said  to  his  wife,  "0  no,  my  dear,  it 's  your  father; 
all  the  same  to  me." 

The  solemn  words  of  the  dispatch  were,  "  Your 
father-in-law  is  dead;  come  quick." 

How  dreadful  the  shock  that  struck  the  good  sis- 
ter's heart! 

Soon  two  of  her  sisters  came  in,  and  each  looked 

at  the  little  lightning-bolt  which  had  felled  the  strong 

man  and  his  companion,  and  exclaimed,  "  0  !  0  !  0  ! 

father  is  dead !     He  wrote  but  a  few  days  ago  that 

he  was  so  well,  and  now  he  is  dead  I" 

15     . 


170  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

Before  morning  the  three  bereaved  sisters  and  a 
brother  vvere  on  tneir  way  to  the  Tippecanoe  battle- 
ground to  bury  their  father.  Great  was  their  sudden 
grief,  but  they  sorrow  not  as  those  who  have  no  hope. 

Our  good  brother,  Joim  Poisel,  had  just  got  com- 
fortably settled  in  the  parsonage  of  the  Eighteenth- 
Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  New  York,  last 
year,  and  was  waiting  the  arrival  of  his  son  Edwin 
from  Baltimore.  Edwin  had  just  finished  his  college 
course,  and  was  to  be  on  to  see  his  parents  at  a  set 
time.  His  mother  had  prepared  his  room,  and  now 
they  were  expecting  him  every  moment. 

Hearing  the  bell  ring,  the  father  ran  down  stairs, 
saying,  "Edwin,  is  that  you  ?" 

But  opening  the  door,  a  messenger  handed  him  a 
telegraphic  dispatch,  saying,  "Your  son  EdAvin  is 
drowned;  his  body  has  been  recovered  and  awaits 
your  order." 

Poor  brother,  just  in  the  midst  of  sunshine  and 
hope,  how  the  lightning  struck  him !  The  only  com- 
fort of  those  bereaved  hearts  as  they  meekly  bowed 
beneath  the  awful  stroke,  was  that  their  dear  boy  was 
a  devoted  Christian,  and  had  gone  from  the  dark 
waters  to  a  bright  home  beyond  the  tide. 

I  read  an  account  in  the  Christian  Advocate  and 
Journal,  a  few  days  since,  of  a  poor  old  lady  in  Phil- 
adelphia, who  in  her  destitution  had  to  beg  in  the 
streets  to  avoid  starvation.  As  she  stood  on  the 
corner  of  Chestnut  and  Fourth  streets  asking  alms', 
a  good-looking  sailor  looked  at  her  and  pulled  out  a 


NATURALNESS.  171 

handful  of  gold  and  silver,  saying,  "  There,  good 
mother,  take  that.  You  may  as  well  have  it  as  the 
land-sharks.  The  last  cruise  I  had  out  of  New  York 
found  me  with  four  thousand  dollars  on  hand;  but  as 
the  neighbors  told  me  my  mother  was  dead,  I  got  on 
a  spree  with  the  money,  and  spent  it  all  inside  of  a 
week,  and  then  I  shipped  again." 

"  0  good  sir,  you  are  too  kind  to  an  old  body  like 
me !  For  your  sake  I  will  take  it.  0,  you  remind 
me  of  my  poor  son  George  White,  who  was  lost  at 
sea." 

''  George  White !  why,  that 's  my  name,  and  you 
are  my  mother !" 

He  embraced  and  kissed  his  mother  as  the  tears 
ran  down  his  bronzed  cheeks.  She  vras  overcome,  like 
Jacob,  vvhen  he  heard  that  Joseph  was  yet  alive,  with 
emotions  of  joy.  Those  who  witnessed  the  scene 
could  but  weep.  "  The  dead  was  alive ;  the  lost 
was  found." 

He  immediately  called  for  a  carriage  and  drove  off 
with  his  mother  to  comfortable  quarters. 

The  folloAving,  taken  from  the  Western  Christian 
Advocate,  is  solemn,  sublime,  and  horrible,  but  re- 
quires no  display  of  long  adjectives  and  rhetorical 
flourishes  to  convey  the  impression  to  the  life  : 

''  A  terrible  accident  occurred  to  the  express  train 
going  east  from  Chicago  to  Toledo,  on  the  Southern 
Michigan  railroad,  at  midnight,  June  28th,  by  which 
some  sixty  persons  were  killed.  As  the  train,  when 
between    South  Bend  and  Mishawaka,  w\as  passing 


172  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

over  an  embankment  spanning  a  ravine,  at  the  baso 
of  which  is  a  culvert,  the  embankment  suddenly  gave 
way,  and  the  whole  train  was  precipitated  into  the 
ravine,  which  was  filled  with  a  perfect  torrent  of 
water. 

"  The  engine  was  literally  buried  in  the  opposite  side 
of  the  ravine  in  quicksand  and  mud,  and  the  tender, 
baggage  and  express  car,  and  two  second-class  cars 
were  shattered  almost  into  kindling-wood,  and  piled 
on  top  of  the  engine.  The  two  first-class  passenger 
cars  followed,  and  were  torn  to  pieces  and  carried 
down  the  stream,  while  the  sleeping  car,  although 
making  the  leap  with  the  rest,  was  less  injured. 

"The  stream  is  naturally  but  a  rivulet,  but  was 
swollen  by  the  extraordinary  rains  of  the  previous 
afternoon  and  evening.  Flood-wood  probably  checked 
the  culvert,  converting  the  embankment  into  a  dam, 
and  the  great  weight  of  water,  with  the  concussion  of 
the  crossing  train,  caused  the  sad  calamity. 

"  About  one  hundred  and  fifty  persons  were  on  the 
train ;  of  these,  sixty  have  been  taken  from  the  ruins 
dead,  and  fifty  or  sixty  more  wounded,  or  escaped 
unhurt;  the  rest  not  heard  from,  as  many  of  the  dead 
were  drowned  in  the  ravine. 

"It  is  feared  that  others  not  heard  from  have  lost 
their  lives  in  the  same  manner. 

"Mr.  Bliss,  the  President  of  the  road,  and  Mr. 
Hiram  Sibley,  one  of  the  Directors,  were  in  the  sleep- 
ing car,  and  escaped  uninjured.  The  engineer  and 
fireman,  both  named  Chulp,  of  Laporte,  were  killed ; 


NATURALNESS.  173 

Hartwell,  of  Toledo,  expressman,  and  Babbington, 
baggage-master,  were  also  killed,  in  the  baggage  car. 
G.  W.  Smith,  Road-Master,  was  killed. 

*'  Some  of  the  incidents  connected  with  the  accident 
are  harrowing.  It  was  midnight,  and  the  lightning 
from  a  storm  near  at  hand  was  all  the  light  the  pas- 
sengers had  as  to  their  condition. 

^'  One  woman  who  was  on  the  train  with  her  husband 
and  five  children,  ran  wildly  about  all  night  seeking 
her  family,  but  without  success  till  morning,  when  she 
found  them  all  dead.  She  then  went  to  a  farm-house 
a  few  yards  off,  where,  after  sitting  some  minutes,  the 
wretched  wife  and  mother  expired. 

"Mr.  Rice  says,  that  a  gentleman  with  his  w4fe  and 
two  children  were  on  the  train  on  a  pleasure  trip  to 
the  east.  But  in  the  accident  the  parties  became  sep- 
arated. The  husband  found  one  of  his  young  ones 
dead  in  the  morning ;  next  he  found  his  wife  dead, 
but  with  her  arms  closely  embracing  the  other  child, 
who  was  saved." 

The  solemn  marches,  sublime  charges,  and  horrible 
slaughter  of  the  recent  battle  of  Solferino,  where 
about  four  hundred  thousand  men  met  in  mortal  com- 
bat, and  left  about  forty  thousand  dead  on  the  field, 
arc  all  reported  in  simplicity.  The  facts  are  the 
things  that  strike,  not  a  gorgeous  display  of  words. 
The  most  sublime  scene  of  prophetic  vision  is  set 
forth  by  St.  John  in  the  following  plain,  natural 
words  :  "  And  I  saw  a  great  white  throne,  and  him 
that  sat  on  it,  from  whose  face  the  earth  and  heaven 


174  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

fled  away ;  and  there  was  found  no  place  for  them. 
And  I  saw  the  dead,  small  and  great,  stand  before 
God;  and  the  books  were  opened:  and  another  book 
was  opened,  which  is  the  book  of  life  ;  and  the  dead 
were  judged  out  of  those  things  which  were  written 
in  the  books,  according  to  their  works.  And  the  sea 
gave  up  the  dead  which  were  in  it ;  and  death  and 
hell  delivered  up  the  dead  which  were  in  them  ;  and 
they  were  judged  every  man  according  to  their 
works.  And  death  and  hell  were  cast  into  the  lake 
of  fire.  This  is  the  second  death.  And  whosoever 
was  not  found  written  in  the  book  of  life  was  cast 
into  the  lake  of  fire."  This  whole  scene  is  in  another 
place  set  forth  in  fourteen  monosyllables,  and  one 
little  word  of  tv/o  syllables — "  The  great  day  of  his 
wrath  is  come,  and  who  shall  be  able  to  stand?"  The 
most  dreadful  saying  in  the  book  of  God  is  contained 
in  five  monosyllables — ''  The  wrath  of  the  Lamb.'' 
The  mercy  and  merit  of  the  Lamb  furnish  the  only 
ground  of  my  hope  here  and  hereafter — "For  there  is 
none  other  Name  under  heaven  given  among  men, 
wdiereby  we  must  be  saved."  0  '^  the  wrath  of  the 
Lamb  !"     ^Yho  can  endure  it  ? 

You  see,  my  brother,  from  the  simple  specimens 
just  presented,  that  solemnity,  moral  grandeur,  and 
stirring  effect,  do  not  consist  in  a  display  of  ''  magnifi- 
cent words,"  but  in  the  tnitl!,  with  all  .Is  native  sim- 
plicity and  variety,  just  as  we  find  it  in  nature,  or 
providence,  or  in  the  Bible ;  and  the  truth,  to  produce 
its  appropriate  effect,  must  be  communicated  in  all  its 


NATURALNESS.  175 

simplicity  and  variety,  in  a  style  correspondingly 
simple  and  natural.  A  mere  display  of  sublime 
words,  solemn  forms,  and  ministerial  dignity,  is, 
whatever  the  design  may  be,  a  burlesque  on  the  sol- 
emn grandeur  and  dignified  simplicity  of  Gospel 
truth,  and  the  natural  Gospel  mode  of  proclaiming  it. 


176  THE    MODEL     PREACHER 


LETTER    X. 

LITERAL  NESS. 

My  Dear  Brother, — The  fourth  leading  character- 
istic of  the  Savior's  model  for  preaching,  ^vhich  I  now 
"vvish  to  illustrate,  is  Ulerahiess — literal  facts  demon- 
strating the  truth  and  power  of  the  Gospel,  and  lit- 
eral figures  illustrating  the  great  spiritual  principles 
of  the  Gospel — facts  of  past  history,  facts  of  present 
experience  and  observation,  and  facts  of  prophetic 
vision  yet  to  be  developed  in  the  roll  of  future 
ages — literal  facts  in  opposition  to  abstract  terms 
and  metaphysics. 

I  do  not  pretend  to  say  that  abstract  generalizing 
and  metaphysics  are  not  appropriate  in  their  place, 
but  that  they  find  no  place  in  the  preaching  of  Jesus; 
and  if  admitted  to  the  pulpit  at  all,  it  should  be  sim- 
ply for  the  sake  of  arranging  and  classifying  real 
definite  facts.  If  avc  can  give  our  facts  tangibility, 
locality,  and  circumstantiality,  all  the  better  for 
stirring  eiTcct. 

You  observe  that  I  employ  the  term  "literalness" 
here  in  its  application  to  all  spiritual  as  well  as  ma- 
terial realities — real  specific  fi^cts,  in  opposition  to  all 
abstract  terms,  general  statements  and  imaginings, 
which  represent  no  real  definite  thing  in  this  world  or 
the  next;  in  opposition,  also,  to  such  a  use  of  the 


LITER  ALNESS.  177 

legitimate  forms  of  real  definite  truth,  as  renders  them 
general  and  indefinite  in  their  application. 

When  I  shall  have  brought  out  in  their  symmetrical 
combination  the  essential  elements  of  power  defining 
the  Savior's  model  for  preaching,  I  will  then,  while 
comparing  my  model  with  "the  pattern  given  in  the 
mount,"  more  fully  illustrate  this  part  of  my  subject. 

For  the  present,  I  v.ill  speak  of  the  literal  figures 
of  illustration  appropriate  to  the  pulpit.  Literal 
illustration  should  be  employed  in  the  pulpit, 

1.  For  the  purpose  of  arresting  attention.  I 
have  before  shown  that  the  surprise  power  necessary 
to  arrest  attention  is  contained,  first,  in  the  trut^ 
itself;  and,  secondly,  in  the  figures  and  facts  we  em- 
ploy to  simplify  and  convey  Gospel  truth  to  the  con- 
science. 

If  the  truth  itself  will  so  strike  the  intellect  and 
heart  of  the  hearer  as  to  arrest  attention  sufficiently, 
then,  in  that  case,  no  collateral  means  are  necessary. 

If  the  alarm-cry,  "  Fire !  fire  !  fire !"  will  wake  up 
the  people  and  stimulate  them  to  save  themselves  or 
their  property,  then  you  have  only  to  cry,  "  Fire ! 
fire!"  and  ring  the  alarm-bell;  but  if  by  the  fre- 
quency of  such  alarms  they  lose  their  stirring  effect, 
you  will  then  have  to  knock  at  the  doors  of  those  in 
danger,  and  wake  them  up  by  some  startling  unan- 
ticipated means. 

If  the  Savior  and  his  apostles,  when  Gospel  truth 
was  most  fresh  and  exciting  in  itself,  found  it  nec- 
essary  to   employ    surprise   notes  —  Ho!    Hearken! 


178  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

Behold,  behold !  Yerilj,  verily ! — and  also  an  endless 
vaiietj  of  literal  figures,  to  arrest  attention,  how  muck 
more  necessary  now ! 

We  practically  demonstrate  the  necessity  of  arrest- 
ing attention  to  the  ordinary  interests  of  life,  before 
delivering  an  important  message  or  command,  or  on 
the  eve  of  any  movement  requiring  attention. 

A  general,  at  the  head  of  his  regiment,  giving  com- 
mand, first  cries,  "Attention!  attention!"  The  sub- 
ofiicers  repeat  it  along  the  lines,  "  Attention !  atten- 
tion, company!" 

How  often  at  public  gatherings,  for  raising  a  house, 
or  other  work  requiring  concert  of  muscular  force, 
have  you  heard  the  cry,  "0,  yes!  0,  yes!  all  hands 
here !" 

On  ship-board  you  hear  the  cry,  ''All  hands  on 
deck  !     All  hands  ahoy  !" 

On  the  departure  of  every  steamboat  or  rail-car, 
your  attention  is  arrested  by  the  bell  ringing,  the 
steam-whistle,  and  the  final  cry,  "All  aboard!"  If 
all  this  is  necessary  in  regard  to  the  objects  of  sense 
about  us,  how  much  more  necessary  in  presenting  the 
invisible  realities  of  the  spiritual  life! 

In  proclaiming  the  messages  and  commands  of 
God,  and  in  rallying  the  sacramental  host  to  storm 
the  citadel  of  sin,  for  the  rescue  of  souls,  shall  we  not 
cry,  "Attention?" 

In  building  the  temple  of  God,  shall  we  not  cry, 
"0,  yes !  0,  yes!"  or  by  some  means  secure  concert 
of  action? 


LITE  11  ALNESS.  179 

In  manning  the  good  ship  Zion,  shall  we  not  cry, 
"All  hands  on  deck!"  and  thrill  them  as  Lord  Nel 
son  did  his  soldiers,  on  the  eve  of  battle,  when  he 
cried,  "England  expects  every  man  to  do  his  duty?" 

"When  the  life-boat  of  Mercy  or  the  car  of  Salva- 
tion is  on  the  eve  of  departure,  affording  to  many 
their  last  opportunity  of  a  passage  to  heaven,  shall  we 
not  ring  the  bell,  bloy^'  the  steam-whistle,  and  cry, 
"All  aboard!"  "Cry  aloud,  and  spare  not;  lift  up 
the  voice  like  a  trumpet,  and  show  the  people  their 
sins  "  and  their  remedy  ? 

2.  A  second  object  of  literal  illustration  is  to  sim- 
plify the  truth,  and  make  it  the  medium  of  conveying 
the  truth  to  the  heads  and  hearts  of  the  hearers.  The 
spiritual  reality  should  be  brought  vividly  to  light  by 
some  striking  feature  of  resemblance  to  it  contained 
in  the  literal  figure.  The  particular  point  of  resem- 
blance in  the  figure  designed  to  convey  the  truth,  is 
to  be  determined  by  the  subject  of  discourse;  and  the 
figure  can  not  be  legitimately  applied  beyond  that. 

For  example :  the  Savior  is  called  "  the  lion  of 
the  tribe  of  Judah."  The  prophet  does  not  mean  to 
say  that  he  is  a  ferocious  animal,  with  a  long  mane. 
The  subject  of  discourse — his  power  and  courage — ■ 
determines  the  extent  to  which  the  figure  may  be 
applied. 

Again:  he  is  compared  to  a  lamb— not  a  diminu- 
tive, woolly  animal,  but  an  immaculate  sacrifice, 
oiFered  for  the  sins  of  the  world. 

As  the  object  is  to  simplify  and  illustrate  truth,  and 


180  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

not  to  mystify  it,  we  should  only  employ  such  figures 
as  will  legitimately  secure  that  end. 

3.  A  third  object  is,  by  familiarity  with  the  figure, 
to  fix  the  truth  in  the  memory. 

A  very  intelligent  gentleman  in  Baltimore  city, 
speaking  of  the  effect  upon  his  memory  of  two  ser- 
mons he  had  heard  from  different  ministers  the  day 
before,  said,  ^'I  heard  Bishop preach  a  splen- 
did sermon  yesterday.  I  don't  think  I  ever  heard  a 
more  ma"sterly  piece  of  composition  in  my  life.  I 
was  dehghted,  both  with  the  matter  of  his  discourse 
and  the  manner  of  his  delivery,  but  after  I  got  home 
I  could  not  remember  a  single  paragraph  of  it.  I 
tried  to  bring  it  up,  but  it  had  nearly  all  passed  away 
like  a  dream. 

"Last  night  I  went  to   Charles-Street    Methodist 

Episcopal  Church  to  hear preach,  and  although  I 

went  with  some  prejudices  against  him,  before  I  knew 
it  he  had  me  laughing  and  crying,  and  his  sharp  points 
and  simple  illustrations  made  such  an  impression  on  my 
mind  that  I  never  can  foi^get  them  as  long  as  I  live." 

"While  I  can  not  remember  a  mere  statementary 
sermon,  however  sound,  a  single  day,  the  simple 
illustrations  of  truth  which  I  heard  when  a  little 
boy  are  as  fresh  in  my  mind  as  the  scenes  of  yes- 
terday. 

It  is  very  difiicult  to  remember  the  statement  of  an 
abstract  principle  or  proposition  till  you  can  get  out 
of  church,  but  if  that  principle  be  fixed  in  your 
memory  by  a  familiar  fact  or  incident,  the  illustration 


LITERALNESS.  181 

becomes,  as  it  were,  a  stake  to  which  you  may  tie  the 
floating  principle  and  hold  it  forever. 

Who  that  heard  the  preaching  of  Jesus  could 
ever  forget  his  simple  life-pictures  and  incidents! 

4.  Nearly  allied  to  the  last-named  object  of  literal 
illustration  is  the  fourth,  and  last  one  I  shall  here 
mention.  Every  literal  object  thus  employed  be- 
comes a  standing  monitor,  repeating  its  sacred  les- 
sons every  time  it  comes  in  sight  or  hearing  of  the 
auditor. 

The  great  Teacher's  illustrations  were  so  numerous 
and  varied  that  his  hearers  could  scarcely  ever  look 
at  an  object  in  nature,  above,  beneath,  around,  that 
did  not  have  something  to  say  about  God  and  sal- 
vation. The  birds,  from  the  sparrow  up  to  the  eagle; 
animals  of  all  varieties,  wild  and  domestic;  the  fields 
and  the  wild  woods ;  the  rills,  rivers,  and  seas ;  vegeta- 
tion, from  the  tender  blade  of  corn  to  the  lofty  cedars 
of  Lebanon ;  human  life  in  all  its  relations,  in  all  its 
activities  and  pursuits,  in  all  its  forms  and  phases; 
the  elements  around  us;  the  heavens  with  their  starry 
host  above  us — all  these  varieties  of  nature,  animate 
and  inanimate,  he  endowed  with  a  voice  to  rehearse 
his  lessons  of  Gospel  truth;  and  thus  they  become 
ministers  of  mercy  to  dying  men  down  to  the  end 
of  the  world. 

By  thus  associating  Gospel  truth  with  all  the  strik- 
ing, familiar  objects  of  sense,  the  constant  recurrence 
of  those  objects,  instead  of  diverting  the  mind  and 
heart  from  God,  as   is  too   often  the  case,   will    all 


182  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

remind  us  of  our  duty,  and  contribute  to  draw  us 
nearer  to  him. 

In  selecting  matter  cf  illustration  appropriate  to 
the  pulpit,  my  brother,  employ  such  only  as  is  so  ex- 
citing in  itself  as  to  arrest  attention,  and  so  apposite 
as  to  carry  the  truth  right  to  the  heads  and  hearts  of 
your  hearers. 

You  wish  to  convey  the  water  of  life  from  the  Gos- 
pel reservoir  to  the  thirsty  souls  of  your  auditors, 
but  you  should  remember,  as  I  have  before  shown, 
that  they  are  all  preoccupied — the  ''  earthern  ves- 
sels "  of  their  hearts  are  tightly  corked.  It  will 
avail  nothing  to  pour  the  water  over  them,  unless  the 
corks  are  drawn.  You  want  an  illustration  so  excit- 
ing as  to  answer  the  purpose  of  a  corkscrew  to  ex- 
tract the  cork  and  open  the  heart,  and  so  apposite  as 
to  answer  the  purpose  of  a  funnel,  through  which  to 
pour  the  living  water  into  the  famishing  soul. 

I  make  my  own  feelings  the  test  as  to  the  exciting 
character  of  an  illustration,  and  my  common-sense, 
guided  by  the  light  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  test  of  its 
appositeness.  Whatever  wakes  me  up,  stirs  my  emo- 
tions, makes  me  laugh  or  cry,  I  set  down  as  a  thing 
of  power.  I  am  hard  to  move,  and  when  any  thing 
excites  my  soul's  emotions,  I  conclude  that  it  will 
move  almost  any  person. 

I  would  not  think  of  trying  to  move  an  audience 
with  any  tiling  that  would  not,  on  its  first  introduc- 
tion to  me,  excite  my  own  heart's  emotions ;  bui 
finding    such  a  thing  in    human  experience,  or  any 


LITEEALNESS.  183 

\rhere  in  the  wide  world,  I  stick  it  down  in  my  mem- 
ory, or  memoranda,  to  be  kept  as  so  much  stock  in 
trade  for  future  use. 

Formerly,  when  I  met  with  such  incidents,  I  said 
to  myself,  "  Can  I  make  any  use  of  these  for  good  ?" 
and  unless  I  could  at  once  see  wherein  I  could  em- 
ploy them  to  illustrate  some  truth,  I  let  them  slip. 
But  riper  experience  taught  me  a  better  lesson.  I 
then  noted  the  stirring  facts  and  incidents  as  they 
came  within  my  observation  or  experience,  without 
reference  to  their  particular  use. 

When  I  am  preparing  a  sermon,  and  want  matter 
for  illustration,  I  run  over  my  stock,  as  a  ship-builder 
culls  over  his  timber.  In  filling  his  lumber-yard,  he 
did  not  stop  to  determine,  in  advance,  the  precise  use 
he  would  make  of  each  piece  of  timber.  He  laid  in 
a  great  variety  of  choice  selections,  large  and  small, 
crooked  and  straight,  and  when  at  work  building  his 
ship,  the  demand  indicates  the  supply  necessary  each 
day  as  he  progresses,  and  he  picks  it  out  of  his  gen- 
eral stock  as  he  needs  it. 

I  do  not  keep  a  diary — that  is  likely  to  contain  too 
much  commonplace  repetition,  too  much  chaff  for  the 
amount  of  wheat — nor  do  I  keep  a  regular  journal; 
but  I  always  have  in  my  pocket  a  memoranda  book, 
and  note  in  it  only  such  things  as  strike  me,  and  are 
likely  to  be  useful  for  the  illustration  of  Gospel  truth. 
A  great  many  of  them  I  have  never  had  occasion  to 
use,  but  still  treasure  them  up  as  available  matter  for 
future  use  if  necessary. 


184  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

The  degree  of  excitement  which  you  wish  to  pro- 
duce by  an  illustration  should  be  graduated  by  the 
character  of  the  subject  to  be  illustrated.  The  back- 
ground of  a  picture  may  be  so  clearly  drawn, 
and  so  highly  colored,  as  to  weaken  or  destroy  the 
effect  of  the  principal  figure.  So  the  exciting  char- 
acter of  a  mere  incident  may  be  such  as  to  carry  the 
feelings  of  the  hearer  away  from  the  subject,  instead 
of  carrying  them  to  it. 

A  minister  of  fine  descriptive  power  was,  on  one 
occasion,  preaching  about  heaven ;  and,  to  show  the 
absurdity  of  Emanuel  Swedenborg's  ideas  on  the  sub- 
ject, drew  a  graphic  picture  of  the  Swedenborgian 
heaven,  with  its  beautiful  fields,  fine  horses,  cows, 
and  pretty  women;  and,  in  the  midst  of  his  glow- 
ing description,  a  good  old  sister,  carried  away  with 
the  scene,  went  into  raptures  and  shouted,  "  Glory, 
glory,  glory." 

A  friend  of  mine,  who  witnessed  it,  told  me  the 
preacher  was  so  disconcerted  that  he  paused,  seeming 
hardly  to  know  what  next  to  do,  till  the  presiding  el- 
der in  the  stand  behind  him  cried  out  to  the  shouter, 
"  Hold  on  there,  sister,  you  are  shouting  over  the 
wrong  heaven." 

Many  of  the  figures  of  Scripture  are  very  strong 
and  striking,  but  the  Holy  Spirit  would  certainly 
never  employ  one  too  strong  for  a  truthful  represent- 
ation of  the  subject.  While,  by  your  facts  and  inci- 
dents, you  aim  to  excite  only  the  degree  necessary  to 
illustrate  and  apply  your  subject,  you  should  be  care- 


LITERALNESS.  185 

ful,  also,  to  excite  the  kind  of  feeling  best  adapted  to 
wake  up  your  hearers  and  bring  them  to  the  Savior, 
Use  nothing  in  the  pulpit  that  a  Christian  man,  of 
good  common-sense,  can  not,  upon  sober  reflection, 
approve,  but  be  sure,  by  some  means,  to  stir  the 
hearts  of  your  hearers. 

If  you  can  not  make  them  weep  directly,  make 
them  laugh,  and  then  make  them  cry.  The  distance 
between  a  laugh  and  a  cry  is  very  short,  and  the 
transition  very  easy.  Smiles  and  tears,  in  many 
cases,  go  in  company  as  harmoniously  and  as  legiti- 
mately as  sunshine  and  showers  in  spring-time. 

You  can  gain  access  to  some  hearts  only  through 
their  risible  gateway,  and  if  you  refuse  to  enter 
through  that,  you  will  have  to  stay  outside.  First 
melt  your  metal,  then  mold  it. 

You  should  never  excite  risible  feelings  by  any 
light,  trifling,  or  inapposite  thing;  but  if,  by  the  start- 
ling appositeness  of  your  illustrations,  or  the  exciting 
efi'ect  of  joyous,  religious  emotion,  your  hearers 
should  smile,  be  it  so. 

If  you  find  their  risible  steam  rising  so  high  as  to 
be  likely  to  run  them  off"  the  track,  put  on  the  brakes, 
and  fetch  them  up  trembling  and  weeping.  Do  n't 
allow  any  to  "switch  off""  into  indifl'erence.  Keep 
up  the  steam,  and  while  you  can  keep  them  on  the 
track,  there  is  but  little  danger  of  getting  on  too 
much. 

Every  minister  of  the  Gospel  should  not  only  im- 

Dart  instruction  to  the  intellect  of  his  hearers,  but  so 

16 


186  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

melt  down  the  emotions  as  to  enable  him  to  leave  the 
impression  of  the  broad  seal  of  truth  on  their  hearts, 
and  stimulate  them  to  action. 

I  would  leave  it  with  the  judgment  of  each  minis- 
ter and  the  leading  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  determine 
what  means  he  may  most  successfully  employ  to  that 
end. 

Many  afi'ect  to  despise  emotion,  and  advocate  mere 
intellectual  preaching,  in  opposition  to  the  emo- 
tional. 

The  intellect  is  the  engine,  the  emotions  the  steam ; 
both  are  alike  necessary  to  locomotion.  What  we 
most  need  in  this  enlightened  age  is  momentum,  to 
stimulate  the  people  to  action,  proportionate  to  their 
knowledge. 

Wake  up  the  emotions,  therefore,  my  brother, 
whether  they  manifest  themselves  at  first  in  smiles  or 
tears — wake  them  up  by  the  grace  of  Jesus,  and  so 
direct  them  as  to  propel  the  soul  toward  the  cross. 

A  great  many  pious  persons  associate  long  faces 
and  sadness  of  countenance  so  intimately  with  the 
sanctuary,  and  every  thing  that  pertains  to  religious 
worship,  that  they  can  not  bear  to  see  a  smile  in 
church,  and  would  not  excite  one  for  any  consid- 
eration. 

But  smiles  belong  as  legitimately  to  our  nature  as 
tears.  A  smile  or  a  laugh  is  the  soul's  spontaneous 
expression  of  joyous  emotion — tears  or  weeping  its 
expression  of  sorrow.  A  mixture  of  joy  and  sorrow, 
or  the  alternate  transition   from  one   to  the   other, 


LITERALNESS.  187 

manifest  themselves  accordingly,  like  the  mixed  or  al- 
ternate sunshine  and  showers  of  May.  This  is  the 
law,  unless  restrained  by  the  force  of  education. 

Some  laugh  to  express  the  deepest  sorrow,  and 
some  weep  to  express  the  profoundest  joy,  but  these 
are  the  exceptions  and  not  the  rule. 

The  idea  of  suppressing  these  heaven-ordained 
manifestations  of  the  soul's  emotions  by  the  awful 
sacredness  of  the  sanctuary,  is,  in  my  opinion,  a 
great  mistake,  soul-chilling,  and,  in  many  cases,  soul- 
killing,  in  its  effects. 

Old  Mr.  B.,  of  Indiana,  was  very  skeptical — did 
not  believe  in  the  divinity  of  Christ — but  he  became 
attached  to  a  certain  preacher,  and  had  him  establish 
a  preaching  appointment  at  his  house.  By  and  by 
the  old  gentleman  became  so  distressed  that  he  could 
not  rest,  and  by  careful  investigation  and  prayer,  be- 
came clearly  convinced  of  the  divinity  of  Jesus,  and 
thought  he  was  in  a  very  fair  way  to  find  the  Savior, 
in  the  pardon  of  his  sins. 

The  next  Sabbath  after  the  removal  of  his  doubts, 
while  listening  to  his  favorite  preacher,  the  truth  fell 
upon  his  ear  so  sweetly  that  he  involuntarily  smiled. 

The  preacher  saw  his  smile  and  said:  "After  all 
that  I  can  do  to  try  to  save  your  soul,  you  just  laugh 
in  my  face." 

Mr.  B.  was  so  surprised  and  mortified  by  such  a 
public  rebuke,  that  he  gave  up  seeking  religion.  The 
enemy  took  advantage  of  his  weakness,  ran  him  ofi" 
tjifi  track,  and  he  remains  a  poor  sinner  to  this  day, 


188  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

and  fears  he  never  will  get  so  good  a  start  as  lie  had 
that  day  when  the  truth  was  gladdening  his  heart. 

A  good  old  doctor  of  divinity  went,  not  long  since, 
to  hear  a  live  preacher  who  always  wakes  up  the  peo- 
ple, and  leads  many  souls  to  Christ.  The  doctor,  de- 
termined to  maintain  his  standard  of  ministerial  dignity, 
would  neither  laugh  nor  cry,  not  he.  He  listened  for 
a  time  with  his  face  in  his  hands,  looking  like  he  was 
asleep.  By  and  by  he  ventured  to  raise  his  dignified 
head  and  cast  his  eyes  over  the  audience,  but  before 
he  knew  it  he  caught  the  prevailing  sympathy,  and 
both  laughed  and  cried;  for  which,  as  I  was  informed, 
he  became  so  displeased  with  himself,  that  he  would 
not  go  to  hear  that  preacher  again. 

The  doctor  was  a  very  good  man  and  a  good  friend 
of  the  said  preacher ;  but  such  were  his  ideas  of  the 
solemn  decorum  befitting  the  house  of  the  Lord,  that 
he  could  hardly  forgive  himself  for  giving  way  to  his 
feelings,  and  would  not  again  risk  liis  ministerial  dig- 
nity under  the  preaching  of  that  man. 

A  minister  who  had  led  the  van  of  God's  elect  to 
many  a  battle,  in  which  hundreds  of  souls  were  res- 
cued from  the  power  of  the  prince  of  darkness, 
preached  on  one  occasion  to  a  very  large  audience 
with  good  effect;  but  because  some  of  the  auditors 
smiled  occasionally  during  the  sermon,  one  of  the 
Church  members  accosted  the  preacher,  as  he  was 
passing  down  the  aisle,  thus,  "  I  '11  never  go  to  hear 
you  preach  again,  sir.  You  make  the  people  laugh, 
and  I  can't  stand  such  a  thing  in  the  house  of  God. 


LITEE  ALNESS.  189 

I  liope  you  will  never  preach  here  any  more ,''  and 
on  he  went  abusing  the  strange  minister  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  dispersing  multitude,  in  a  loud,  angry 
tone,  till  some  of  his  brethren  commanded  him  to  be 
quiet. 

Smiles  and  tears  are  both  alike  liable  to  misuse 
and  abuse.  Many  persons  waste  their  tears  over  a 
novel  or  a  farce,  just  as  many  laugh  at  things  trifling 
and  silly.  Many,  too,  on  occasions  worthy  these 
spontaneous  expressions  of  the  soul,  laugh  or  cry  to 
excess. 

Levity  in  the  house  of  God  is  execrable,  but  the 
risible  emotions  excited  by  the  appositeness  of  a 
happy  illustration  of  truth,  and  serving  to  swell  the 
sails  that  bear  the  soul  heavenward,  or  that  arise  from 
religious  joy  in  the  soul,  are  just  as  appropriate  in 
divine  worship  as  tears.  This  last  is  an  assertion  so 
questionable  with  many  persons,  that  I  will  stop  a 
moment  to  examine  *' the  law  and  the  testimony" 
on  the  subject. 

When  God  renewed  his  covenant  with  Abraham, 
and  instituted  the  seal  of  circumcision,  "  God  said 
unto  Abraham,  As  for  Sarai  thy  wife,  thou  shalt  not 
call  her  name  Sarai,  but  Sarah  shall  her  name  be. 
And  I  will  bless  her,  and  give  thee  a  son  also  of  her: 
yea,  I  w^ill  bless  her,  and  she  shall  be  a  mother  of 
nations ;  kings  of  people  shall  be  of  her.  Then 
Abraham  fell  upon  his  face,  and  laughed."  The  old 
patriarch  Avas  so  glad,  he  fell  upon  his  face  before  God, 
just  in  the  midst  of  their  conversation,  and  laughed 


190  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

outright ;  and  God  did  not  reprove  him  for  laughing, 
Lut  went  on  with  the  announcement  of  the  promises 
of  the  covenant.     (Gen.  xvii,  17.) 

"And  Sarah  said,  God  hath  made  me  to  laugh,  so 
that  all  who  hear  will  laugh  with  me."     Gen.  xxi,  6. 

Bildad  the  Shuhite,  in  his  address  to  Job,  says, 
"  Behold,  God  will  not  cast  away  a  perfect  man, 
neither  will  he  help  the  evil-doers:  till  he  fill  thy 
mouth  with  laughing,  and  thy  lips  with  rejoicing.'* 
Job  viii,  21. 

The  royal  Psalmist,  in  magnifying  the  mercy  of 
God  in  saving  him  from  the  intriguing  malice  of  a 
"mighty  man,"  by  the  destruction  of  his  enemy,  says, 
"  The  righteous  also  shall  see,  and  fear,  and  shall 
laugh  at  him."     Psalm  Hi,  6. 

When  God's  ancient  people  held  a  grand  celebra- 
tion to  commemorate  their  deliverance  from  Babylo- 
nish captivity,  they  together  sang,  "When  the  Lord 
turned  again  the  captivity  of  Zion,  we  were  like  them 
that  dream.  Then  was  our  mouth  filled  with  laughter, 
and  our  tongue  with  singing."     Psalm  cxxvi,  1. 

The  Savior,  in  one  of  his  sermons,  said,  "Blessed 
be  ye  poor:  for  yours  is  the  kingdom  of  God.  Blessed 
are  ye  that  hunger  now:  for  ye  shall  be  filled. 
Blessed  are  ye  that  weep  now :  for  ye  shall  laugh. 
Blessed  are  ye  when  men  shall  hate  you,  and  when 
they  shall  separate  you  from  their  company,  and  shall 
reproach  you,  and  cast  out  your  name  as  evil,  for  the 
Son  of  man's  sake.  Bcjoice  ye  in  that  day,  and  leap 
for  joy  •  for  behold  your  reward  is  great  in  heaven ; 


LITERALNESS.  191 

for  in  like  manner  did  their  fathers  unto  the  prophets." 
Luke  vi,  20-23. 

Th3  great  Teacher,  while  thus  informing  his  little 
band  of  martyrs  what  they  might  expect  to  suffer  for 
his  sake,  assures  them  that  in  the  midst  of  all,  and 
over  all,  they  shall  ''rejoice,  and  laugh,  and  leap  for 

joy." 

Many  of  the  scenes  connected  with  the  ministry 
and  miracles  of  Jesus  occasioned,  I  have  no  doubt, 
both  smiles  and  tears. 

Who,  that  knows  any  thing  about  the  sudden  tran- 
sition of  the  mind  from  sorrow  to  joy  and  gladness, 
can  doubt  that  the  bereaved  sisters  both  laughed  and 
wept,  when  their  brother  Lazarus  was  raised  from  the 
dead,  and  restored  to  their  fond  embrace? 

At  the  close  of  one  of  the  great  Teacher's  sermons 
in  the  temple,  "The  scribes  and  Pharisees  brought 
unto  him  a  woman  taken  in  adultery ;  and  when  they 
had  set  her  in  the  midst,  they  say  unto  him,  Master, 
this  woman  was  taken  in  adultery,  in  the  very  act. 
Now  Moses  in  the  law  commanded  us,  that  such 
should  be  stoned  ;  but  what  sayest  thou  ?  This  they 
said,  tempting  him,  that  they  might  have  to  accuse 
him. 

''But  Jesus" — pondering  some  weighty  subject — 
"  stooped  down,  and  with  his  finger  wrote  on  the 
ground,  as  though  he  heard  them  not."  The  guilty 
•woman  was  doubtless  wringing  her  hands  in  anguish 
and  despair,  in  anticipation  of  the  death  penalty, 
and  weeping  in  penitential  sorrow. 


192  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

"So  when  they  continued  asking  him,  he  lifted  up 
himself,  and  said  unto  them.  He  that  is  without  sin 
among  you,  let  him  first  cast  a  stone  at  her.  And  he 
again  stooped  down  and  wrote  on  the  ground. 

"  And  they  which  heard  it,  being  convicted  by  their 
own  conscience  " — looked  at  each  other,  and  the  old 
fellows  who  led  the  prosecution  broke  for  the  door, 
and  the  younger  ones  followed,  all  glad  of  the  oppor- 
tunity, Avhile  Jesus  had  his  eyes  turned  the  other  way. 

*'  They  went  out  one  by  one,  beginning  at  the  eld- 
est, even  unto  the  last :  and  Jesus  was  left  alone,  and 
the  woman  standing  in  the  midst." 

If  I  had  witnessed  that  scene,  my  brother,  you 
know  I  would  have  laughed  to  see  how  completely 
those  long-faced  fellows  were  taken  aback  and  routed. 

Then  to  see  with  what  tenderness  the  Master  spoke 
the  poor  penitent's  sins  forgiven,  and  sent  her  away 
in  peace,  at  the  moment  when  she  supposed  she  would 
have  been  executed,  saying  to  her,  "Go,  and  sin  no 
more,"  I  should  certainly  have  wept,  and  thanked 
God  for  a  Gospel  that  could  reach  the  chief  of 
sinners. 

I  may  simply  add,  on  the  subject  of  literalness, 
that  the  learned  authors  and  teachers  of  science  have 
all  waked  up  to  the  importance  of  the  literal  illustra- 
tion of  their  theories. 

Take  up  any  modern  work  you  please,  treating  ©f 
any  branch  of  science  whatever,  and  you  will  find 
that  the  principles  of  the  science  are  illustrated  by 
literal  facts  and  figures. 


LITERALNESS.  193 

The  same  is  true  of  the  most  popular  scientific 
lectures. 

A  great  deal  of  the  teaching  of  these  clays  is  done 
by  the  use  of  the  black-board,  on  the  same  principle. 

Many  speak  of  intellectual  and  logical  preaching, 
versus  literalness  of  illustration  in  presenting  Gos- 
pel truth,  as  though  intellectual  research  and  the 
application  of  logic  were  confined  to  abstract  reason- 
ings and  metaphysics. 

Examine  any  modern  work  on  logic  itself,  and  you 
will  see  that  the  principles  of  the  science  are  all 
brought  out  by  means  of  literal  facts  and  figures.  A 
volume  of  proof  and  illustration  of  this  subject  could 
be  produced.  The  children  of  this  world,  in  this 
matter,  are  wiser  than  the  children  of  light. 
17 


194  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 


LETTER    XI. 

APPROPRIATENESS. 

My  Dear  Brother, — The  fifth  essential  charac- 
teristic of  the  great  Teacher's  model  is  his  perfect 
adaptation  of  truth  to  the  condition  of  the  subject — 
the  exact  appropriateness  of  his  discourses  as  to  doc- 
trine, spirit,  and  mode  of  application,  to  the  occasion 
and  peculiar  wants  of  his  hearers. 

This  might  very  properly  be  set  down  among  the 
characteristics  of  the  Savior's  preaching  as  Number  I, 
instead  of  Number  V;  but  as  you  may  see  its  import- 
ance more  clearly  in  the  light  of  the  four  already 
given,  I  place  this  last. 

Appropriateness — a  just  adaptation  of  means  to 
ends — is  one  of  God's  immutable  la'^vs.  Our  success 
in  any  undertaking  pertaining  to  this  world  or  the 
next,  depends  on  our  conformity  to  this  law,  and  is 
usually  in  the  exact  proportion  of  our  approximation 
to  it. 

The  wholesomeness  of  any  medicine  depends  on  its 
application. 

The  efficiency  of  any  piece  of  machinery  depends 
on  the  appropriate  application  of  the  necessary 
forces. 

It  is  not  alone  sufficient  tliat  we  preach  sound  doc- 
trine.    From  the  Gospel  treasury  we  should  "bring 


APPROPRIATENESS.  195 

forth  tilings  new  and  old,"  exactly  suited  to  tlio  oc- 
casion, and  make  such  an  application  of  them  as  will 
be  most  likely  to  secure  the  end  we  seek — the  salva- 
tion of  souls.  Many  a  sound  doctrinal  sermon  has 
fallen  without  good  effect  on  account  of  its  utter  want 
of  adaptation  to  the  hearers,  either  as  it  regards  the 
matter  or  the  mode  of  its  application,  or  both. 

The  adaptation  of  the  Savior's  discourses  was  per- 
fect, because,  looking  right  into  the  souls  of  his  hear- 
ers, scanning  every  thought  and  emotion,  he  knew 
precisely  wdiat  kind  of  an  application  to  make. 

Most  of  the  themes  of  his  recorded  discourses  seem 
to  have  been  suggested  by  the  secret  workings  and 
wants,  or  some  special  manifestation  of  the  souls  of 
his  hearers  on  the  occasion.  A  few  cases  may  serve 
to  illustrate  this  point. 

''There  were  present  at  that  season  some  that  told 
him  of  the  Galileans,  whose  blood  Pilate  had  mingled 
with  their  sacrifices.  And  Jesus  answering  said  unto 
them.  Suppose  ye  that  these  Galileans  were  sinners 
above  all  the  Galileans  because  they  suffered  such 
things?  I  tell  you.  Nay:  but  except  ye  repent,  ye 
sliall  likewise  perish" — and  proceeded  to  preach  a 
searching  sermon  on  repentance. 

"  Then  said  one  unto  him,  Lord,  are  there  few  that 
be  saved  ?  And  he  said  unto  them.  Strive  to  enter  in 
at  the  strait  gate :  for  many,  I  say  unto  you,  will  seek 
to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able ;"  and  then  preached 
on  the  fearful  consequences  of  failing  to  enter  through 
the  strait  gate  into  the  kingdom  of  grace. 


196  THE    MODEL     PREACHER. 

*•  One  of  his  disciples  said  unto  him,  Lord,  teach  us 
to  pray  as  John  also  taught  his  disciples."  He  at 
once  gave  them  a  specimen  prayer,  and  preached  to 
them  on  the  subject,  illustrating  and  applying  the 
truth  in  the  most  clear,  tender,  touching,  encouraging 
manner. 

Again :  ''  The  scribes  and  Pharisees  began  to  urge 
him  vehemently,  and  to  provoke  him  to  speak  of  many 
things;  laying  in  wait  for  him,  and  seeking  to  catch 
something  out  of  his  mouth,  that  they  might  accuse 
him.  In  the  mean  time,  when  there  were  gathered 
together  an  innumerable  multitude  of  people,  in  so 
much  that  they  trode  one  upon  another,  he  began  to 
say  unto  his  disciples  first  of  all,  Beware  of  the  leaven 
of  the  Pharisees,  which  is  hypocrisy.  For  there  is 
nothing  covered  that  shall  not  be  revealed;  neither 
hid  that  shall  not  be  known.  Therefore,  whatsoever 
ye  have  spoken  in  darkness  shall  be  heard  in  the 
light;  and  that  which  ye  have  spoken  in  the  ear  in 
closets  shall  be  proclaimed  on  the  house-tops '' — urg- 
ing his  disciples  by  precept  and  example  to  go  on  pro- 
claiming the  whole  truth,  regardless  of  the  threats 
and  persecutions  of  their  enemies,  adding  the  most 
comforting  assurances  of  God's  special  care  for  them, 
saying,  "My  friends,  be  not  afraid  of  them  that  kill 
the  body,  and  after  that  have  no  more  that  they  can 
do.  But  I  will  forewarn  you  whom  ye  shall  fear :  fear 
him  which,  after  he  hath  killed,  hath  power  to  cast 
into  hell;  yea,  I  say  unto  you,  fear  him. 

"  Are  not  five  sparrows  sold  for  two  farthings,  and 


APPROPRIATENESS.  197 

not  one  of  tliem  is  forgotten  before  God?  But  even 
the  very  hairs  of  your  head  are  all  numbered.  Fear 
not,  therefore;  ye  are  of  more  value  than  many 
sparrows. 

"Also  I  say  unto  you,  AYhosoever  shall  confess  me 
before  men,  him  shall  the  Son  of  man  also  confess 
before  the  angels  of  God:  but  he  that  denieth  me 
before  men,  shall  be  denied  before  the  angels  of 
God." 

With  such  comforting  pledges  of  divine  sympathy 
and  ultimate  salvation,  he  informs  them  in  his  dis- 
course what  they  should  expect  to  suffer  for  his  sake, 
and  how  they  should  quit  themselves  as  men  of  God. 

His  sermon  on  covetousness,  which  he  illustrated 
by  the  case  of  the  rich  man,  who  was  going  to  build 
new  barns  in  which  to  store  his  goods,  when  ''  God 
said  unto  him.  Thou  fool,  this  night  thy  soul  shall 
be  required  of  thee,"  was  introduced  by  the  re- 
quest of  the  man  who  said  to  Jesus,  "Master,  speak 
to  my  brother,  that  he  divide  the  inheritance  with 
me." 

On  another  occasion :  "  The  Pharisees  and  scribes 
murmured,  saying.  This  man  receiveth  sinners,  and 
eateth  w^ith  them."  Jesus  then  preached  on  the  great 
object  of  his  mission — to  save  sinners — illustrating  by 
the  lost  sheep,  the  lost  piece  of  money,  and  the  prod- 
io;al  son. 

"And  he  came  to  Capernaum:  and  being  in  the 
house,  he  asked  them.  What  was  it  that  ye  disputed 
among  yourselves  by  the  way?     But  they  held  their 


198  TlirJ     MODEL     PREACHER. 

peace,  for  by  the  wnj  tliey  hud  disputed  among 
themselves  which  shoidd  be  the  greatest." 

The  apostles  still  have  many  successors  in  that  par- 
ticular line. 

He  then  preached  to  them  on  humility,  illustrating 
by  the  little  child  he  set  in  the  midst  of  them. 

^' John  answered  him,  saying,  Master,  we  saw  one 
casting  out  devils  in  thy  name,  and  he  followeth  not 
us ;  and  we  forbade  him,  because  he  followeth  not 
us."  Jesus  replied  in  a  searching  sermon  on  Chris- 
tian union. 

You  can  hardly  find,  my  brother,  a  single  discourse 
of  Jesus  that  was  not  called  for  by  the  apparent  de- 
mand of  the  occasion  on  which  it  was  preached.  I 
have  illustrated  this  fact,  simply  for  the  sake  of  the 
bearing  it  has  on  my  subject — the  perfect  adaptation 
of  his  teaching  to  the  condition  and  wants  of  his 
hearers,  and  not  to  indicate  that  we  may  rely  on  the 
incidents  or  inspiration  of  the  occasion,  and  neglect 
to  prepare  our  discourses  in  advance.  Yet,  while  we 
should  always,  as  far  as  possible,  make  thorough 
preparation,  we  should  never  be  so  tied  down  to  any 
subject  or  arrangement  as  not  to  be  ready  to  follow 
the  leading  of  the  Spirit,  or  seize  any  incident  or 
theme  at  the  moment,  which  may  promise  greater 
success  than  our  prepared  discourse. 

A  man  tied  to  a  written  sermon  has  but  a  poor  op- 
portunity of  imitating  the  great  Teacher. 

We  may  not  hope  to  adapt  truth  to  the  peculiar 
wants  of  our  hearers,  perfectly,  as   did   the  Savior, 


APPROPP.IxlTENESS.  199 

because  of  our  ignorance  of  the  secret  workings  and 
wants  of  their  souls,  and  yet  it  is  our  duty  to  study 
well  the  power  of  Gospel  remedies  and  the  condition 
of  the  patients  ft  whom  we  apply  them,  and  make 
the  wisest  application  possible. 

When  we  have  done  our  duty  in  this  resiard,  we 
may  claim  the  presence  of  the  omniscient  Spirit,  who 
will  m^ake  a  searching  application  of  truth  to  the  con- 
science ;  "For  the  word  of  God" — in  demonstration 
of  the  Spirit — "is  quick  and  powerful,  and  sharper 
than  any  two-edged  sword,  piercing  even  to  the  divid- 
ing asunder  of  soul  and  spirit,  and  of  the  joints  and 
marrow,  and  is  a  discern er  of  the  thoughts  and  in- 
tents of  the  heart."  Such  are  the  perfect  delinea- 
tions of  human  experience  and  conduct  furnished  in 
the  Scriptures,  and  such  the  searching  application  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  accompanying  the  preached  Gospel, 
that  it  is  very  common  for  awakened  sinners  to  be- 
lieve that  the  preacher  had  been  informed  of  their  pe- 
culiar cases,  and  applied  his  discourse  personally  to 
them. 

During  a  revival  of  religion  in  Greenbrier  county, 
Virginia,  a  man  by  the  name  of  Armstrong  was  con- 
verted, and  in  relating  his  experience  said:  "Having 
heard  of  this  revival,  and  that  so  many  of  my  neigh- 
bors had  obtained  religion,  I  came,  one  night,  to  see 
how  it  was  done. 

"  The  preacher,  that  night,  instead  of  preaching  to 
the  people,  as  I  expected,  got  up  and  talked  to  me, 
and  told  me  how  I  had  been  livino-,  and  what  T  had 


200  THE    MODEL    P  R  E  A  C  II  E  11 . 

come  for,  and  what  I  was  thinking  about,  and  exposed 
me  publicly  right  there  before  all  my  neighbors.  1 
never  felt  so  much  ashamed  in  my  life  before,  but  was 
mad  to  think  that  any  body  should  be  so  mean  as  to 
go  and  tell  the  preacher  all  about  me.  I  was  sure 
som.ebody  had  done  it,  for  I  knew  the  preacher  was 
an  entire  stranger  to  me. 

"The  next  night  I  came  in  early,  and  hid  behind 
the  door.  I  thought  if  the  preacher  did  not  see  me, 
he  would  let  me  alone  and  preach  to  the  people,  but 
the  first  thing  he  commenced  on  me  again,  and  raked 
me  so  severely  that  I  cried,  and  when  he  called  for- 
mourners  I  went  forward  and  prayed.  The  next 
night  God,  for  Christ's  sake,  pardoned  my  sins,  and 
now  I  love  that  preacher  more  than  any  other  living 
man." 

I  could  multiply  truthful  statements  of  similar 
cases  which  have  come  under  my  own  observation, 
but  the  point  is  clear  and  needs  no  further  illustration. 

Your  success  in  preaching  the  Gospel  does  not  de- 
pend "  on  enticing  words  of  man's  wisdom,  but  in 
demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  of  power." 

I  have  not  v>'ritten  a  separate  letter  on  the  neces- 
sity of  constant  reliance  on  the  Holy  Spirit  for  the 
success  of  our  labors,  because  that  subject  has  been 
long  and  ably  defended  by  all  our  standard  writers, 
and  is  generally  admitted.  I  assume  that,  as  an  un- 
questionable fact  in  all  my  letters  to  you,  and  yet  God 
does  not,  by  his  Spirit,  propose  to  do  our  work  for 
us — the  work  he  has   given   us    to    do,   as   workers 


APPROPRIATENESS.  201 

together  with  him.  It  is  in  connection  with  our  best 
efforts  of  study  and  application  of  the  truth,  that 
we  are  authorized  to  chiim  the  unction  of  the  Spirit 
upon  ourselves  and  upon  our  labors.  God  often  uses 
the  weak  things  of  this  world  to  confound  the  mighty, 
but  he  generally  blesses  with  success  the  means 
which,  in  their  nature,  are  best  adapted  to  the  end. 

In  undertaking  any  important  work  you  inquire, 
first,  what  is  the  extent  of  the  work,  and  what  are 
the  difficulties  in  the  way  of  its  accomplishment  ? 

Second.  "Where  is  the  power  by  wliich  this  great 
work  may  be  done? 

Third.  How  shall  I  apply  the  power  so  as  to  secure 
the  desirable  end? 

You  go  to  work  instrumentally  to  ''  save  a  soul 
from  death" — a  momentous  work,  in  comparison  with 
which  every  other  sinks  to  insignificance.  You  know 
that  the  Gospel,  which  is  ^'the  powder  of  God  unto 
salvation,"  is  sufficient,  and  now  the  question  turns 
on  the  application  of  that  poiver.  This  opens  the  field 
in  which  you  are  to  display  your  skill  as  a  "  workman 
that  needeth  not  to  be  ashamed" — "wise  to  win 
souls." 

You  find  the  sinner  you  seek  to  win  subject  to 
"the  law  of  sin  and  death,"  indulging  in  the  unre- 
strained promptings  of  "  the  carnal  mind,  which  is 
enmity  against  God,  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God, 
neither  indeed  can  be ;"  "  led  captive  by  the  devil  at 
his  will." 

It  may  be  that,  from  a  demoralizing  education  and 


202  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

the  force  of  the  most  vicious  liabits,  his  soul  may  be 
oncompassed  by  peculiar  disabilities  and  barriers. 
He,  perhaps,  entertains  strong  prejudices  against  jou 
personally,  and  particularly  against  your  cause. 

To  drive  such  a  soul  to  Christ  is  out  of  the  ques- 
tion. You  may  assist  the  devil  in  driving  hira  from 
Christ,  but  you  can  not  drive  any  soul  to  Christ.  If 
such  was  the  Gospel  mode,  God  could  do  that  himself 
■without  human  instrumentality  or  any  moral  appli- 
ances whatever.  It  is  our  business,  my  brother,  not 
to  drive,  but  to  win  souls  to  Christ. 

I  deduce  from  the  Gospel  mode  of  procedure  in  the 
work  of  soul-saving  three  practical  rules.  The  first 
involves  a  wise  application  of  the  lavf  of  sympathy. 
In  approaching  a  soul  you  wish  to  lead  to  Jesus, 
introduce  first  the  points  of  agreement  between  your 
soul  and  his,  and  not  at  once  the  points  of  disagree- 
ment— strike  first  the  chords  of  mutual  sympathy 
between  you  and  the  sinner,  and,  for  a  time,  suspend 
the  discordant  notes  of  mutual  repulsion.  If  you 
will  thus  make  him  your  friend,  or,  at  least,  show  him 
that  you  are  his  friend,  and  walk  along  in  agreeable 
company  with  him,  till  you  come  to  the  point  of 
necessary  divergence,  he  may  by  that  time  be  induced 
to  go  with  you  to  the  Savior,  or,  at  least,  will  give  to 
the  message  you  bear  from  God  to  his  soul  a  respect- 
ful hearing.  But  if  you  begin  with  the  points  of 
disagreement — attack  his  prejudices,  berate  him  for 
what  he  considers  his  honest  opinions,  or  sharply 
reprove  him  for  the  commission  of  sin,  enormous  in 


APPROPrtlATENESS.  203 

your  eyes,  and  perhaps  diminutive  in  his,  you  will 
most  probably  insult  hira  at  the  ver^^  outset,  close  up 
his  heart  against  you  tighter  than  an  oyster,  and  drive 
him,  in  his  blindness  and  guilt,  beyond  your  reach 
forever. 

However  deep  a  mian's  degradation,  he  is  still  a 
man — a  precious  soul,  bought  v/ith  the  blood  of  Jesus, 
aril  traveling  to  eternity.  The  very  fact  that  he  is 
out  of  perdition,  furnishes  strong  presumptive  evi- 
dence that  he  has  been  spared  for  purposes  of  mercy, 
and  entitles  him  to  a  claim  upon  our  sympathies  and 
considerate  attention. 

This  rule  involves  a  potent  practical  principle,  which 
may  be  applied  with  great  advantage  to  every  variet}^ 
of  moral  suasion,  pertaining  to  all  the  departments 
and  relations  of  life. 

There  is  an  accessible  avenue  to  almost  every  man's 
heart.  There  is  some  chord  of  mutual  sympathy, 
which,  if  kindly  struck,  will  vibrate  a  friendly  re- 
sponse. Study  him,  and  learn  the  available  avenues 
to  his  heart — what  strings  you  may  in  honest  propri- 
ety strike  for  the  securement  of  his  good  behavior, 
his  respectful  attention  to  what  you  have  to  say,  his 
cooperation  with  you  in  whatever  work  you  wish  his 
assistance,  or  his  salvation.  He  has  many  essential 
attributes  of  humanity  in  common  with  yourself; 
besides,  he  may  be  from  the  same  section  of  country, 
may  have  been  educated  in  the  same  school  with  your- 
self, may  subscribe  to  the  same  religious  belief,  may 
have  had  a  pious  mother  who  prayed  for  him  in  life, 


204  THE     MODEL     PP.EACIIErt. 

and  with  her  dying  breath  commended  him  to  God,  or 
he  may  have  been  a  fellow-soklier  in  some  engage- 
ment or  a  fellow-sufferer  in  some  expedition,  may 
with  you  belong  to  the  same  social  fraternity,  or 
political  party,  or  be  at  any  rate  a  fellows-citizen  of  the 
same  glorious  commonwealth — if  not,  you  may  know 
some  honored  champion  of  human  rights  in  his  coun- 
try, the  mention  of  whose  name  will  thrill  his  heart — 
he  is  a  fellow-man,  and  you  are  bound  by  the  golden 
rule  to  do  unto  him  as  you  would  have  him  do  unto 
you. 

Treat  any  man  as  a  dog,  and  he  will  bite  you  if  he 
can,  unless  he  has  such  a  development  of  Christian 
meekness  as  to  return  you  good  for  evil,  and  then  he 
will  make  you  feel  like  a  snarling  cur  after  snapping 
at  his  master. 

Treat  a  man  as  a  man ;  show  him  that  while  you 
have  no  compromises  to  make  with  sin,  you  do  never- 
theless respect  him  as  a  fellow  human  being,  and 
desire  to  do  him  good ;  put  him  on  his  good  behavior 
as  a  man,  and  if  he  hns  a  grain  of  common-sense  in 
his  head,  or  a  spark  of  human  sympathy  in  his  soul, 
he  will  try  to  show  himself  a  man,  or  at  least  give 
you  a  hearing,  and  return  you  a  grateful  grin  for  your 
kind  attentions,  and  for  the  confidence  you  have 
reposed  in  him.  "  A  soft  answer  turneth  away  wrath, 
but  grievous  words  stir  up  anger." 

At  a  camp  meeting  I  once  attended,  a  large  company 
of  rownlies  were  creating  a  great  deal  of  disturbance. 

The  preacher   in  charge,  learning  who  was  their 


APPROPRIATENESS.  205 

leader,  at  a  convenient  opportunity  met  him,  and  said, 
as  he  gave  him  a  hearty  shake  by  the  hand,  "  Mr.  B., 
I'm  ghad  to  see  you.  I  know  your  good  father  and 
mother,  and  I  am  glad  at  any  time  to  meet  a  member 
of  the  family ;  but  I  wanted  to  see  you .  specially  at 
this  time,  to  enlist  your  cooperation  in  preserving 
order  on  the  encampment.  There  are  a  great  many 
thoughtless,  reckless  young  men  on  the  ground,  who 
are  giving  us  some  trouble,  and  from  your  acquaint- 
ance with  them,  and  influence  over  them,  I  believe 
you  can  do  more  than  any  other  man  in  maintaining 
the  peace  and  quiet  of  the  meeting,  and  I  shall  rely 
upon  you  to  keep  those  fellows  straight." 

The  preacher  did  believe  it,  and  did  not  misplace 
his  confidence.  Mr.  B.  promised  to  do  what  he  could 
to  preserve  order,  and  they  parted  good  friends. 
There  was  no  further  disturbance  during  the  meeting. 

At  one  of  the  large  encampments  I  attended  last 
fall,  there  were  a  great  many  very  rude  fellows  pres- 
ent, who  seemed  determined  to  break  up,  or  at  least 
seriously  disturb  the  meeting. 

The  presiding  elder,  having  charge,  was  firm.,  but 
kind — "harmless  as  a  dove,  and  wise  as  a  serpent." 
He  reasoned  the  case  with  them  clearly,  without 
threatening,  and  then  instead  of  administering  public 
rebukes  from  the  stand  for  any  breach  of  order,  he 
had  his  police  posted  on  diiferent  parts  of  the  ground, 
to  speak  personally  to  any  who  vrcre  disorderly,  and 
kindly,  but  firmly,  to  enforce  the  rules  of  the  meeting. 
The  result  was  just  as  he  intended  it  should  be. 


206  THE     MODEL    PREACHER. 

At  another  I  attended  last  fall,  the  preacher  in 
charge  read  his  rules  of  order  for  the  meeting,  and 
added,  ''  You  see  we  have  rules,  and  ■vve  intend  to 
have  them  observed.  We  have  the  law  on  our  side, 
and  we  will,  enforce  it  if  necessary.  You  may  rely 
upon  it,  we  do  n't  intend  to  be  run  over  by  a  set  of 
unprincipled  rowdies.  If  they  have  n't  sense  and 
good-breeding  enough  to  know  how  to  behave  them- 
selves, we  will  teach  them  in  a  manner  that  will  not 
be  very  agreeable  to  their  feelings." 

Said  I  to  myself,  "  My  dear  brother,  you  have 
thrown  down  the  glove,  and  I  'm  very  much  mistaken 
in  my  judgment  of  this  people  if  you  do  n  't  find 
plenty  of  fellows  who  will  pick  it  up  very  quickly." 

That  night  we  had  a  great  deal  of  disturbance,  and 
I  knovr  not  where  it  would  have  ended,  but  for  a 
meek,  fearless  brother,  who  went  out  among  the  row- 
dies, and  talked  kindly  to  them,  and  finally  succeeded 
in  getting  them  oif  to  his  own  barn  to  take  lodgings  for 
the  night.  But  in  one  of  the  previous  engagements 
of  the  night  brother  Smith  was  struck  with  a  stone, 
wdiich  raised  a  bump  of  combativeness  on  his  head, 
and  roused  his  righteous  indignation. 

The  next  morning  he  went  round  and  notified  all 
the  tent-holders  that  the  brethren  were  going  out  at 
nine  o'clock  to  arrest  every  rowdy  on  the  ground,  and 
put  them  through,  as  they  deserved,  and  requested 
each  tent  company  to  furnish  help. 

At  the  appointed  time  the  company  formed,  and 
marched  out  with  the  preacher   in    charge    at  their 


APPROPRIATENESS.  207 

head.  The  rowdies  kept  out  of  their  way,  but  were 
back  in  guerilla  squads  again  at  night. 

The  preaching  was  good,  and  the  prospect  for  re- 
vival quite  fair ;  but,  after  night  preaching,  while  the 
prayer  meeting  with  the  mourners  was  in  progress, 
the  preacher  in  charge  said,  "  Hold  on  a  moment, 
brethren." 

Then  addressing  a  man  away  back  on  the  ladies' 
side  of  the  encampment,  he  said,  ^' Young  man,  go 
over  to  your  own  side  of  the  ground.  You  are  vio- 
lating the  rules  of  the  meeting.  I  tell  you  to  go 
away  from  there." 

The  penitents  remained  on  their  knees,  but  the 
"whole  train  stood  waiting"  while  the  two  belliger- 
ents held  each  other  at  bay. 

"If  you  do  n't  go  away  from  there,"  continued  the 
preacher,  "  I  '11  take  you  away."  He  was  fairly  com- 
mitted— one  or  the  other  must  switch  off  the  track, 
or  risk  a  collision.  The  young  man  muttered  defi- 
ance and  stood  his  ground. 

Down  came  the  preacher,  who,  with  rapid,  undaunt- 
ed steps,  made  for  the  incorrigible  sinner,  seized  and 
led  him  away.  He  displayed  great  courage,  and  took 
his  foe  captive ;  but  by  that  time  the  revival  fire  had 
gone  down,  the  steam  had  escaped,  and  the  train 
could  not  be  got  in  motion  again  that  night. 

Upon  the  whole  it  was  a  great  meeting  for  magis- 
trates, lawyers,  arrests,  fines,  bad  feeling,  loud  talk, 
confusion,  and  nearly  every  thing  but  the  salvation 
of  souls. 


208  THE     MODEL     PREACH  SS. 

Tho  application  of  my  Gospel  rule  vfoiild  have  pro- 
duced a  very  different  result. 

I  remember  in  my  early  ministry,  in  holding  a 
meeting  in  Monroe  county,  Ya.,  that  the  deputy  sheriff 
of  the  county  vras  in  attendance  regularly  for  the 
purpose  of  opposing  the  revival.  I  had  no  personal 
acquaintance  with  him,  but  frequently  saw  him,  while 
penitents  were  being  invited  to  the  altar,  going  round 
among  the  people,  employing  his  persuasive  power  to 
prevent  them  from  seeking  religion. 

One  day,  as  a  large  number  of  seekers  came  for- 
ward and  kneeled  at  the  altar,  just  as  I  said,  "Let  us 
all  unite  in  prayer,"  I  saw  the  sherijQf  start  from  the 
rear  of  the  audience  toward  the  mourners,  and  know- 
ing that  he  had  some  evil  design,  I  said,  "  Stop  a 
little,  brethren;  don't  kneel  yet."  By  that  time  the 
sheriif  seized  the  arm  of  a  young  lady  who  was 
kneeling  at  the  altar,  saying,  "  Eliza,  you  must  come 
away  from  here." 

Then  said  I,  "Mr.  Campbell,  what  do  you  want, 
sir?" 

"I  want  this  girl  away  from  here." 

"  Is  she  your  wife,  sir  ?" 

"  No." 

"  Is  she  your  daughter  ?" 

"  No ;  but  she 's  a  relation  of  mine,  and  she 's  in 
my  care,  and  I  intend  to  have  her  away  from  here. 
I  don't  believe  in  this  thing  of  forcing  people  into 
measures." 

"  No,  Mr.  Campbell,  and  I  do  n't  believe  in  that 


APPROPRIATENESS.  209 

either,  and  if  the  young  lady  was  forced  to  come  for- 
ward, I  shall  certainly  not  object  to  your  taking  her 
away.     Ask  her,  if  you  please." 

He  would  not  ask  her,  but  a  sister  near  said, 
*'  Eliza,  did  you  come  forward  of  your  own  accord,  or 
"were  you  overpersuaded?" 

She  replied,  "I  came  without  being  asked  at  all. 
I  want  to  try  to  save  my  soul,  and  I  can't  go  away 
from  here  till  I  find  mercy." 

"  Slie  don't  know  what  she  is  about,"  rejoined  the 
sheriff;  "  she  's  too  young  to  engage  in  any  thing  of 
this  kind,  and  I'll  have  her  away." 

*'  0,  Mr.  Campbell,"  said  I,  "  she  has  long  since 
passed  the  line  of  accountability,  and  is  entirely  ca- 
pable of  thinking  and  acting  for  herself;  but,  if  you 
assume  the  responsibility  of  thinking  and  deciding  for 
her  in  this  matter,  will  you  stand  for  her  in  the  day 
of  judgment  ?" 

"  No,  but  I'll  stand  for  her  now,  and  I'm  bound  to 
have  her  away." 

Eliza  wept  aloud,  and  held  on  so  tightly  to  the 
bench  over  which  she  was  kneeling  that  he  could 
not  get  her  up. 

Then   said    I,  "Mr.   Campbell,   if  you  please,  sir, 

just  take  a  seat  by  her  side,  and  you  can  see  that  she 

is  duly  cared  for,  and  not  imposed  upon."     With  that 

he  let  her  go,  and  began  to  work  his  way  back  toward 

the   door ;  but  I  took  him  gently  by   the   arm,   and 

said,  "Mr.  C,  the  young  lady  wants  rehgion,  and,  as 

I  have  no  ill-feeling  in  the  world  toward  you,  I  would 
18 


210  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

be  most  happy  to  see  you  embrace  religion  also.  I 
presume  you  need  it  as  much  as  any  of  us." 

''Yes,"  said  he,  "I  suppose  I  do." 

Then  addressing  the  people,  I  said,  "Let  us  pray." 
We  ''kneeled  before  the  Lord  our  Maker,"  and  I  told 
the  Lord  about  Eliza,  commended  her  to  his  special 
care,  and  begged  him  to  pity  her  uncle  and  bring  him 
to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth. 

The  meeting  from  that  moment  went  on  gloriously. 
Eliza  found  the  Savior  that  day,  and  a  very  wicked 
old  companion  of  Mr.  C.'s,  and  even  a  greater  perse- 
cutor of  the  Methodists  than  he,  was  also,  after  a  very 
hard  struggle,  powerfully  converted  that  day. 

As  soon  as  I  pronounced  the  benediction  Mr. 
Campbell  came  up,  and  grasping  my  hand,  said,  "I 
want  you  to  come  and  take  dinner  with  me." 

"Thank  you,  sir,"  said  I,  "I  will  go  with  pleasure." 

On  his  way  home  he  told  me  all  about  the  manner 
in  which  he  had  been  brought  up,  and  how  he  became 
so  prejudiced  against  the  Methodists;  but  said  he,  "I 
see  now  that  I  am  wrong,  and  I  will  never  oppose 
them  again."  I  prayed  in  his  family,  and  afterward 
baptized  his  wife  and  children,  and  ever  after  found 
in  him  a  warm  personal  friend;  and  though  he  did 
not  embrace  religion  v/hile  I  remained  on  the  circuit, 
he  embraced  every  opportunity  to  show  his  high  re- 
gard for  the  Church. 

At  another  meeting  on  the  same  circuit,  a  man  by 
the  name  of  John  Carlisle,  hearing  that  his  wife 
had  gone  to  the  altar  as  a  seeker  of  religion,  raved 


APPROPRIATENESS.  211 

like    a  maniac,  swore   like   a   pirate,  and  wanted  to 

figiit. 

It  was  missionary  ground,  and  there  was  not  a  male 
member  of  the  Church  in  that  neighborhood,  except 
some  nevv^  converts,  and  they  did  not  feel  like  fighting, 
and  I  was  not  disposed  to  fight  him ;  but  instead  of  a 
fist  and  skull  knock-down  with  him,  we  piled  on  to 
him  a  few  "soft  answers,'"'  and  down  we  fetched 
him. 

By  that  time  his  wife  found  mercy,  ran  and  em- 
braced him,  and  told  him  a  wonderful  story  about  an 
old  neglected  friend  of  theirs,  whom  they  had  long 
been  slighting — the  Savior  of  sinners. 

It  was  not  long  till  John  v/as  at  the  mourner's 
bench,  roaring  in  an  agony  of  despair.  ''  0,"  said 
he,  "  I  'm  lost,  I  'm  lost !  I  have  committed  the  un- 
pardonable sin.  I  am  reprobated  to  all  eternity." 
But  in  due  time  John  obtained  mercy,  and  he  and  his 
wife  together  joined  the  Church. 

When  Ben.  Currier,  whom  you  knew  in  California, 
heard  that  his  wife  was  at  a  Methodist  altar,  he  swore 
that  if  the  devil  would  help  him,  he  w^ould  go  right 
mto  the  church  and  whip  the  preacher,  and  every  man 
and  woman  who  dared  to  resist  him  in  taking  his  wife 
away. 

Said  he,  ''  I  liad  about  a  mile  to  go  to  get  to  the 
church,  and  all  the  way  along  I  felt  as  strong  as  Samp- 
son. I  told  the  devil  just  to  back  me  and  I  would 
clear  out  the  whole  concern,  and  I  believed  he  would 
do  it. 


212  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

''  When  I  readied  the  church  I  found  it  crowded  to 
overflowing.     I  coukl  hardly  get  in. 

"  As  I  tried  to  press  my  way  up  the  aisle,  the 
preacher  met  me  with  a  smile,  and  said,  '  Mr.  Currier, 
I  'm  glad  to  see  you.  Here  's  a  good  seat  for  you, 
sir.  Sit  over  there  a  little,  gentlemen,  and  make 
room  for  Mr.  Currier.  There,  Mr.  Currier,  take  a 
seat  and  enjoy  our  meeting.' 

"I  sat  down,  feeling  as  mean  as  a  sheep-stealing 
dog.  I  never  was  so  much  ashamed  and  confounded 
in  my  life.  The  longer  I  sat  the  worse  I  felt.  I  was 
mad  at  myself  and  mad  at  the  devil  for  having 
brought  me  into  such  a  snap  and  leaving  me  in  the 
lurch. 

"  I  sat  there  about  fifteeen  minutes,  and  thought  I 
would  have  given  a  hundred  dollars  to  be  out  of  the 
house,  but  feared  that  I  could  n't  get  out.  After  a  des- 
perate effort  I  got  to  the  door,  and  left  things  as  I 
found  them.  On  my  way  home  I  abused  the  devil  for 
his  meanness,  and  told  him  I  never  would  have  any 
thing  more  to  do  with  him;  and  as  soon  as  I  got  into, 
the  house  I  dropped  on  my  knees,  and  tliei'e  prayed 
all  that  night.  My  wife  came  home  happy,  and  prayed 
for  me.  The  next  day  God,  for  Christ's  sake,  con- 
verted my  soul." 


APPROPEIATEXESS.  213 


LETTER    XII. 

APPROPUIATEX ESS  —  CONTINUED. 

My  Dear  Brother, — But  for  the  practical  power 
of  this  law  of  kindness,  how  could  I  have  got  along 
for  the  last  thirteen  years,  preaching  in  the  streets 
and  highways,  especially  in  the  early  settlement  of 
California  ? 

You  remember  that  when  I  commenced  to  preach 
on  the  Plaza  in  San  Erancisco,  nearly  all  the  gam- 
bling-houses in  the  city  fronted  on  that  square,  and 
they  occupied  the  best  houses  in  the  city. 

Such  was  their  power,  that  though  they  shot  a  man 
almost  every  week,  there  were  no  arrests  nor  investi- 
gations— no  power  of  law  that  dared  to  touch  them. 

But  relying  on  the  potent  forces  of  common-sense 
and  Christian  sympathy,  and  the  promised  presence 
of  Jesus,  I  took  my  stand  in  front  of  their  largest 
saloon,  and  sang  together,  I  suppose,  five  hundred 
gamblers,  and  as  many  more  excitables  of  all  sorts, 
in  less  than  ten  minutes.  That  brought  on  the  tus; 
of  war.  In  reading  the  third  chapter  of  my  Cali- 
fornia Life  Illustrated,  you  have  seen  that  I  sur- 
rounded and  arrested  them,  and,  by  the  grace  of  Je- 
sus, so  committed  them  to  my  cause,  that  so  far  from 
disturbing,  they  received  the  Avord  kindly  and  became 
my  regular  hearers;   although  I  often  preached  on 


214  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

gambling,  and  showed  it  up  with  all  its  withering  con- 
sequences. 

Generally  after  that,  whenever  they  shot  a  fellow, 
they  sent  for  me  to  preach  his  funeral. 

As  an  illustration  of  the  rule  under  consideration, 
I  will  insert  an  extract  from  one  of  those  funeral 
sermons,  found  in  Seven  Years'  Street  Preaching, 
page  82.  Taking  my  stand  in  the  gambling-house 
beside  the  bloody  corpse  of  C.  B.,  I  sang : 

"  Thai  a-svful  day  will  surely  corae, 
Til'  appoinled  hour  makes  haste. 
When  I  must  stand  before  my  Judge, 
And  pass  the  solemn  test,"  etc. 

The  gamblers,  en  masse,  crowded  the  saloon,  and  I 
announced  as  my  text  the  last  two  verses  of  the  book 
of  Ecclesiastes :  ''  Let  us  hear  the  conclusion  of  the 
whole  matter :  Fear  God,  and  keep  his  command- 
ments :  for  this  is  the  whole  duty  of  man.  For  God 
shall  bring  every  vrork  into  judgment,  vfith  every 
secret  thing,  whether  it  be  good,  or  whether  it  be 
evil." 

I  then  addressed  them  as  follows :  '•  Gentlemen, 
in  my  discourses  I  alvrays  endeavor,  so  far  as  I  can, 
to  adapt  my  remarks  to  my  audience.  I  take  it  for 
granted  that  the  greater  portion,  if  not  all  of  you,  are 
sportsmen ;  as  such  I  shall  address  you.  '  The  con- 
clusion of  the  whole  matter,'  the  summary  of  life's 
duties,  what  is  it?  'Fear  God,  and  keep  his  com- 
mandments.'    Do  you  understand  it  ? 

"You  are  not  a  set  of  ignoramuses.     I  know  from 


APPROPRIATENESS.  215 

your  appearance  that  you  have  had  educational  ad- 
vantages. Some  of  you  have  had  pious  mothers,  who 
used  to  put  your  little  hands  together,  and  teach  you 
to  say,  'Our  Father  who  art  in  heaven.'  Ah,  those 
sweet  days  of  juvenile  innocency !  Do  you  remember 
them  ? 

"  Many  of  you,  I  doubt  not,  have  been  brought  up 
in  the  Sabbath  school,  and  you  have  all  had  opportu- 
nity of  reading  the  word  of  God,  and  of  hearing  it 
preached  from  your  boyhood  to  the  present  hour. 
You  can  not  plead  ignorance.  You  knovr  your  duty — • 
to  '  keep  His  commandments.'  How  comprehensive 
the  commandments  of  God,  embracing  every  duty 
growing  out  of  the  relations  we  sustain  to  God  and  to 
each  other! 

"  Had  you  given  your  hearts  to  God,  believed  in 
Jesus  Christ,  received  the  regenerating  power  of  his 
grace  in  your  souls,  and  were  you  to-day  consecrated 
to  his  service,  what  happy  men  you  would  be  !  What 
an  influence  you  might  vrield  for  God  and  his  cause  in 
California  ;  help  to  build  up  good  society,  and  make 
this  fair  land  *a  safe  and  happy  home  for  your  wives 
and  children!  The  little  boys  and  girls  now  growing 
up  in  our  midst  would  repeat  your  names  with  grate- 
ful hearts,  and  call  you  blessed  when  your  bodies  are 
in  the  ground,  and  your  souls  safe  in  the  abode  of 
angels  and  God. 

'•But  what  are  you  about?  What  are  you  doing 
here  in  California  ? 

"  Look  at  that  bloody  corpse !    What  will  his  mother 


216  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

say  ?  What  will  his  sisters  think  of  it  ?  To  die  in  a 
distant  landj  among  strangers,  is  bad;  to  die  unfor- 
given,  suddenly,  and  unexpectedly,  is  worse ;  to  be 
shot  down  in  a  gambling-house,  at  the  midnight  hour, 
0,  horrible !  And  yet  this  is  the  legitimate  fruit 
of  the  excitement  and  dissipation,  chagrin  and  disap- 
pointment, consequent  upon  your  business — a  busi- 
ness fatal  to  your  best  interests  of  body  and  soul,  for 
time  and  for  eternity. 

"  Again :  look  at  its  influence  upon  society.  The 
unwary  are  decoyed  and  ruined.  Little  boys,  charmed 
by  your  animating  music,  dazzled  by  the  magnificent 
paraphernalia  of  your  saloons,  are  enticed,  corrupted, 
and  destroyed,  to  the  hopeless  grief  of  their  mothers, 
whose  wailings  will  be  entered  against  you  in  the 
book  of  God.  Remember  that  for  all  these  thino;s 
God  will  bring  ^^ou  into  judgment.  '  For  God  shall 
bring  every  work  into  judgment,  with  every  secret 
thing,  whether  it  be  good,  or  whether  it  be  evil.'" 

Every  gambler  listened  with  profound  attention. 

In  four  years  from  that  time  the  people  demanded 
an  anti-gambling  law,  which  was  granted,  and  every 
gambling-house  in  the  state  was  closed  by  its  prompt 
execution,  and  every  gambler  Avent  down  under  the 
pressure  of  an  indignant  public  sentiment  a  thousand 
per  cent,  belov.'  par. 

Suppose  that  on  the  funeral  occasion  referred  to  I 
had  commenced  my  discourse  where  I  left  off.  They 
would  have  kicked  me  out  of  the  house,  and  perhaps 
sliot   me,    for  tliere    was    no    visible    protection    nor 


APPROPEIATENESS.  217 

redress ;  but  bj  adhering  to  the  Gospel  rule  under 
discussion  I  was  enabled  to  conquer  their  prejudices, 
and  pour  the  unadulterated  truth  right  down  into 
their  guilty  hearts. 

You  know,  my  brother,  and  all  who  know  me  will 
bear  record,  that  Avhile  I  begin  with  the  points  of 
agreement,  and  not  the  points  of  disagreement,  I 
never  compromise  religious  principle  in  the  applica- 
tion of  this  rule,  but  preach  the  law  and  the  Gospel 
in  all  plainness. 

I  could  have  had  as  many  fights  as  any  of  the  pio- 
neers of  the  west,  and  I  think,  from  what  you  know 
of  the  elastic,  muscular  power  with  which  God  has 
endowed  me,  you  will  say  that  I  could  have  gained  as 
great  a  reputation  in  that  line  as  any  of  them,  but  I 
do  n't  choose  to  fight  in  that  way.  I  rely  much  more 
on  a  judicious  application  of  the  law  of  common- 
sense  and  Christian  sympathy  than  upon  muscular 
force.  "  It  is  not  by  might  nor  by  power,  but  by  my 
Spirit,  saith  the  Lord,"  that  the  great  Gospel  achieve- 
ments are  to  be  made. 

I  do  not  mean  to  berate  the  grand  old  heroes,  who, 
in  leading  the  van  of  our  Methodist  armies  westward, 
had  an  occasional  knock-down  with  a  rowdy.  I  will 
not  pass  judgment  on  the  necessity  that  justified  that 
course  in  their  minds,  for  they  were  good,  great,  and 
useful  men — men  of  God  raised  up  for  the  glorious 
work  in  which  they  devoted  their  lives. 

I  think,  however,  they  possessed  the  power  which, 

if  properly  applied,  would,  consistently  with  the  law 

19 


218  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

of  love,  Lave  coDqucred  their  enemies,  in  most  cases, 
much  more  easily  and  more  efiectuaily. 

When  a  man  gets  it  into  his  head  that  it  is  neces- 
sary for  him  to  have  a  fight  occasionally,  he  can  gen- 
erally be  accommodated  with  an  opportunity. 

When  did  you,  my  brother,  ever  see  a  short-tailed, 
snub-nosed  bull-dog  that  "was  not  covered  Avith  scars 
back  to  his  massive  shoulders,  consequent  on  his  great 
fights  ? 

But  look  at  the  New  Foundland;  see  the  friendly 
wag  of  his  huge  tail,  as  he  walks  round  and  waits  for 
an  opportunity  to  rescue  some  drowning  child.  There 
is  not  a  scar  on  him ;  he  has  plenty  of  friends,  fares 
well,  never  had  a  fight  in  his  life,  and  does  not  feel 
that  the  vindication  of  his  courage  or  his  carcass  will 
ever  require  one. 

There  is  a  great  deal,  my  brother,  in  knowing  how 
to  manage  and  get  along  peaceably  with  man  and 
beast,  and  I  will  here  give  you  a  few  practical  hints, 
as  they  are  relevant  to  my  subject. 

If  you  should  be  pursued  by  a  furious  bull — which 
may  probably  occur  among  your  great  herds  of  Ore- 
gon, the  "  Bashan  "  of  the  north-west — run  from  him 
in  a  straight  line  till  he  gets  within  a  few  feet  of  you,^ 
and  then  spring  off  at  a  right  angle.  The  animal  will 
run  on  in  a  straight  line,  and  you  can  go  on  to  your 
apj)ointmcnt. 

The  philosophy  of  it  I  presume  to  be  this :  when 
he  makes  a  drive  at  an  object — say  in  a  fight  with  hig 
fellow — he  will,  in  that  act,  shut  liis  eyes.     So  in  pur- 


APPROPRlATENESiS.  219 

suing  you,  when  lie  boAvs  his  neck  to  give  you  a  death- 
blow, he  shuts  his  eyes  and  do  n't  see  you  dodge. 
He  rushes  right  on,  and,  opening  his  eyes,  no  doubt 
wonders  what  has  become  of  his  man.  Should  he 
soon  after  see  you,  he  will,  by  that  time,  have  spent 
his  wrath,  and  is  not  likely  to  pursue  you. 

If  a  dog  bound  at  you  to  bite  you,  hold  out  your 
hat  to  him,  and  let  him  bite  that.  A  snap  at  your  hat 
will  satisfy  him  about  as  well  as  to  bite  off  the  calf 
of  your  leg,,  and  will  be  much  cheaper  for  you.  I 
have  tried  that  often,  and  always  with  success. 

The  philosophy  of  it  is  this  :  a  snap  or  two  at  your 
hat  will  suffice  to  let  the  steam  off — the  wrathful  pas- 
sion escapes,  and  having  displayed  the  courage  of  his 
dogship,  he  is  satisfied. 

On  the  same  principle,  if  an  angry  man  attack  you, 
just  be  calm,  and,  if  possible,  hold  him  at  bay  a  min- 
ute and  let  him  talk,  till  you  apply  '^a  soft  answer" 
or  two,  and  strike  a  few  chords  of  mutual  sympathy, 
and  soon  his  wrathful  steam  Avill  escape,  and  he  will 
cower  down  before  your  superior,  self-possessed  soul. 
In  that  way  you  conquer  him,  and  do  it  so  effectually, 
that  he  is  not  likely  ever  to  attack  you  again.  I  have 
-tried  this  in  a  number  of  cases,  and  always  with  suc- 
cess. 

If  you  keep  out  of  his  way,  his  passion,  unless  his 
heart  is  deeply  corroded  with  malice,  will  soon  escape 
and  he  will  conquer  himself;  but  in  that  case  you  gain 
no  power  over  him. 

I  once  saw  two  men,  in  San  Francisco,  who  wanted 


220  THE    MODEL    PKEACHER. 

to  fifr^it  each  other.  One  of  them  was  furious,  and 
when  he  was  prevented  by  the  crowd  from  getting 
hokl  of  his  antagonist,  he  pulled  off  his  own  hat  and 
tore  it  to  pieces.  That  served  to  express  his  chivalry 
and  opened  a  safety-valve  through  which  the  malicious 
gas  escaped,  and  in  a  few  minutes  he  walked  away 
quietly  about  his  business,  feeling,  as  I  thought, 
nearly  as  well  satisfied  as  if  he  had  whipped  the  man. 

This  theory  accounts  for  the  fact,  that  a  dog  that 
barks  much,  or  a  man  or  woman  who  talks  much,  is 
not  apt  to  bite,  because  the  steam  escapes  in  the 
barking  and  talking,  and  they  have  but  little  desire, 
and  less  power,  left  for  biting  or  fighting. 

But  you  say,  "  If  this  lay>^  of  sympathy  be  so  po- 
tent, why  did  not  the  martyrs  and  the  persecuted 
Christians,  in  all  ages,  employ  it  for  their  own  pro- 
tection ?"  In  the  rush  of  mob  force  there  is  no  time, 
ordinarily,  for  the  application  of  it.  Persecution  is 
usually  carried  on  by  an  organized  power,  which  op- 
erates beyond  the  reach  of  the  moral  suasion  of  the 
persecuted,  and,  to  anticipate  and  prevent  the  effect 
of  their  moral  power  of  speech,  they  have  not  gener- 
ally been  permitted  to  speak  for  themselves.  When 
such  privilege  was  granted  them,  they  displayed  a 
wisdom  and  power  of  speech  which  their  adversaries 
were  not  able  to  gainsay  nor  resist.  Wherever  this 
law  has  been  applied  we  find  the  clearest  demonstra- 
tions of  its  power. 

When  St.  Paul  was  brought  before  the  Sanhedrim 
for  trial,  he  perceived,  during  the  proceedings,  that 


APPROPRIATENESS.  221 

about  half  the  judges  were  Pharisees  and  the  other 
half  Sadducees,  and  ^'  cried  out  in  the  council,  Men 
and  brethren,  I  am  a  Pharisee,  the  son  of  a  Pharisee : 
of  the  hope  and  resurrection  of  the  dead  am  I  called 
in  question.  And  when  he  had  so  said,  there  arose 
a  dissension  between  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees: 
and  the  multitude  v/as  divided."  He  struck,  and 
truthfully,  too,  a  single  chord  of  mutual  sympathy  or 
agreement  that  vibrated  in  the  heart  of  every  Phari- 
see in  the  council. 

How  often  did  Mr.  Wesley  quell  the  mob  by  the 
application  of  this  law  !  Whenever  he  had  the  op- 
portunity of  speaking  to  them  he  subdued  the  most 
turbulent  spirits,  the  leader  of  the  mob  sometimes 
coming  right  out  and  swearing  that  he  would  defend 
the  preacher  to  the  death.  How  many  thousands  of 
persecutors  have  thus  been  w^on  to  Christ !  Allow  me 
to  present  a  few  examples  from  the  history  of  the 
great  revival  of  the  eighteenth  century.  "  An  innu- 
merable multitude  assailed  the  dwelling  where  Mr. 
Wesley  w^as  staying.  'A  louder  or  more  confused 
noise,'  he  says,  '  could  hardly  occur  at  the  taking  of 
a  city.'  The  terrified  family  escaped,  leaving  only 
Wesley  and  a  servant-maid  in  the  house.  The  rabble 
forced  open  the  door  and  filled  the  passage.  Only  a 
wainscot  partition  remained  between  them  and  their 
victim.  Wesley,  supposing  the  wall  would  soon  fall, 
showed  his  coolness  at  the  moment  by  taking  down  a 
large  lodking-glass  which  hung  against  it.  The  mob, 
with  terrible  imprecations,  began  to  attack  the  parti- 


222  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

tion.  ^Our  lives,'  lie  says,  'seemed  hardly  worth 
an  hour's  purchase.'  The  servant  entreated  him  to 
hide  himself  in  a  closet.  'It  is  best,'  he  replied,  'for 
me  to  stand  just  Avhere  I  am.'  The  crews  of  sOme 
privateers,  which  had  lately  arrived  in  the  harbor, 
were  in  the  street,  and  being  impatient  at  the  slow 
progress  of  the  rioters  within,  drove  them  out,  and 
undertook  the  assault  themselves.  Puttino;  their 
shoulders  against  the  door,  and  shouting,  'Avast, 
lads !  avast !'  they  prostrated  it  upon  the  floor  of  the 
room.  Wesley  stepped  forward  immediately  into 
their  midst,  bareheaded,  and  said,  '  Here  I  am. 
Which  of  you  has  any  thing  to  say  to  mo  ?  To 
which  of  you  have  I  done  any  wrong  ?  To  you  ?  or 
you  ?  or  you  ?'  He  continued  speaking  till  he  reached 
the  middle  of  the  street ;  there  he  took  his  stand,  and 
addressed  them  as  his  'neighbors  and  countrymen.' 
He  had  his  usual  success.  Several  of  the  crowd  cried 
out, 'He  shall  speak.  Yes  !  yes  !'  Others  swore  that 
no  man  should  touch  him.  He  was  conducted  in 
safety  to  a  house,  and  soon  after  left  the  town  in  a 
boat."     (Stevens's  History  of  Methodism.) 

See  the  power  of  this  law  illustrated  in  the  experi 
ence  of  Whitefield.  "  At  London  Whitefield  could 
no  longer  be  content  with  his  spacious  tabernacle,  but 
took  again  the  open  field.  The  most  riotous  scenes 
at  Moorfields  were  usually  during  the  Whitsun  holi- 
days. The  devils  then  held  their  rendezvous  there, 
he  said,  and  he  resolved  'to  meet  them  in  pitched 
battle.'     He  began  early  in  order  to  secure  the  field 


APPROPRIATENESS.  223 

before  tlie  greatest  rush  of  the  crowd.  At  six  o'clock 
in  the  .mornmg  he  found  ten  thousand  people  waiting 
impatiently  for  the  sports  of  the  day.  Mounting  his 
pulpit,  and  assured  that  he  'had  for  once  got  the  start 
of  the  devil/  he  soon  drew  the  Avhole  multitude 
around  him.  At  noon  he  again  took  the  field. 
Between  twenty  and  thirty  thousand  swarmed  upon 
it.  lie  described  it  as  in  complete  possession  of 
Beelzebub,  whose  agents  were  in  full  motion.  Drum- 
mers, trumpeters,  merry-andrews,  masters  of  puppet- 
shows,  exhibitors  of  wild  beasts,  players,  were  all 
busy  in  entertaining  their  respective  groups.  He 
shouted  his  text,  '  Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians,' 
and  boldly  charged  home  upon  the  vice  and  peril  of 
their  dissipations.  The  craftsmen  were  alarmed,  and 
the  battle  he  had  anticipated  and  challenged  now 
fairly  began.  Stones,  dirt,  rotten  eggs,  and  dead 
cats  were  thrown  at  him.  'My  soul,'  he  says,  'was 
among  lions ;'  but  before  long  he  prevailed,  and  the 
immense  multitude  were  '  turned  into  lambs.'  At  six 
in  the  evening  he  was  again  in  his  field  pulpit.  '  I 
came,'  he  says,  '  and  I  saw ;  but  what  ?  Thousands 
nnd  thousands  more  than  before.'  He  rightl^^  judged 
that  Satan  could  not  brook  such  repeated  assaults,  in 
such  circumstances,  and  never,  perhaps,  had  they 
been  pushed  more  bravely  home  against  the  very  cita- 
del of  his  power.  A  harlequin  was  exhibiting  and 
trumpeting  on  a  stage,  but  was  deserted  as  soon  as 
the  people  saw  Whitefield,  in  his  black  robes,  ascend 
his  pulpit.     He  'lifted  up  his  voice  like  a  trumpet, 


224  THE    31  0  D  E  J.    P  R  E  A  C  il  E  R  . 

and  many  heard  the  joyful  sound.'  xit  length  they 
approached  nearer,  and  the  iiierry-andrew,  attended 
by  others,  vrho  complained  that  tlie}^  had  taken  m-anj 
pounds  less  that  day  on  account  of  the  preaching,  got 
upon  a  man's  shoulders,  and  advancing  toward  the 
pulpit,  attenjpted  several  times  to  strike  the  preacher 
Avith  a  long,  heavy  vdiip,  but  always  tumbled  down  by 
the  violence  of  his-  motion.  Tlie  mob  next  secured 
the  aid  of  a  recruiting  sergeant,  who,  v>'ith  music  and 
straggling  follov^ers,  marched  directly  through  the 
crowd  before  the  pulpit.  Yfhitefield  knew  instinct- 
ively how  to  manage  the  passions  and  whims  of  the 
people.  lie  called  out  to  them  to  make  way  for  the 
King's  officer.  The  sergeant,  with  assumed  official 
dignity,  and  his  drum  and  fife,  passed  through  the 
opened  ranks,  which  closed  immediatel}^  after  him, 
and  left  the  solid  mass  still  "in  possession  of  the 
preacher.  A  third  onslaught  was  attempted.  Roar- 
ing like  wild  beasts,  on  the  outskirts  of  the  assembly, 
a  large  number  combined  for  the  purpose  of  sweeping 
through  in  solid  column.  They  bore  a  long  polo  for 
their  standard,  and  cam.e  on  with  the  sound  of  drum 
and  menacing  shouts,  but  soon  quarreled  among  them- 
Belves,  threw  down  their  pole,  and  dispersed,  leaving 
many  of  their  number  behind,  'who  were  brought 
over  to  join  the  besieged  party.'  At  times,  however, 
the  tumult  rose  like  the  noise  of  many  waters,  drown- 
ing the  preacher's  voice;  he  would  then  call  upon  his 
brethren  near  him  to  unite  with  him  in  singing,  till 
the  clamorous  host  were  again  charmed  into  silence. 


APPROPRIATENESS.  225 

He  wjis  determined  not  to  retreat  defeated;  preach-" 
ing,  praying,  singing,  he  kept  his  ground  till  night 
closed  the  strange  scene.  It  wns  one  of  the  greatest 
of  his  fiehl  days.  He  had  won  the  victor}^,  and  moved 
off  with  his  religious  friends  to  celebrate  it  at  night 
in  the  Tabernacle;  and  great  were  the  spoils  there 
exhibited.  No  less  than  a  thousand  notes  were  after- 
ward handed  up  to  him  for  prayers,  from  persons 
who  had  been  brought  'under  conviction'  that  day ; 
and  soon  after  upward  of  three  hundred  were  re- 
ceived into  the  society  at  one  time.  Many  of  them 
were  '  the  devil's  castaways/  as  he  called  them." 
(Ibid.) 

At  a  later  period  Charles  Wesley,  writing  from 
Cornwall,  said,  "  Their  sufferings  have  been  for  the 
furtherance  of  the  Gospel.  The  opposers  behold  and 
w^onder  at  their  steadfastness  and  godly  conversa- 
tion." "Four  exhortcrs  had  been  raised  up  among 
them."  "Both  sheep  and  shepherds,"  he  adds,  "had 
been  scattered  in  the  late  cloudy  day  of  persecution, 
but  the  Lord  gathered  them  again,  and  kept  them 
together  by  their  own  brethren,  who  began  to  exhort 
their  companions,  one  or  more,  in  every  society." 
At  a  later  period  he  says  of  Cornwall,  "  The  wdiole 
country  finds  the  benefit  of  the  Gospel.  Hundreds 
who  follow  not  with  us  have  broken  off  their  sins,  and 
are  outwardly  reformed,  and,  though  persecutors  once, 
will  not  suffer  a  word  to  be  spoken  against  this  way." 
At  St.  Ives  he  writes  that  "  the  whole  place  is  out- 
wardly changed.     I  walk  the  streets,  scarce  believing 


226  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

that  it  is  St.  Ives.  It  is  the  same  throughout  all  the 
country.  All  opposition  falls  before  us,  or  rather  is 
fallen,  and  not  suffered  to  lift  up  its  head  again." 
"  At  Sithney,  fierce  persecution  had  prevailed  against 
the  society,  and  women  and  children  had  been  struck 
down  and  beaten  in  the  streets;  now  one  hundred 
of  the  former  rioters  gathered  about  him  to  fight  for 
him  against  a  threatened  mob  from  a  neighboring 
town."     (Ibid.) 

By  a  wise  application  of  the  law  of  Christian  sym- 
pathy, a  consistent  example  of  meekness,  and  patient 
perseverance  in  well-doing,  on  the  part  of  that  noble 
band  of  street  preachers  and  their  zealous  converts, 
by  the  merciful  providence  of  God,  and  the  power  of 
his  Gospel,  the  raving  mobs  of  England,  Ireland,  and 
Wales  were  all  suppressed,  and  hundreds  of  the  riot- 
ers became  as  zealous  defenders  as  they  had  been 
opposers  of  the  truth. 

But,  whatever  may  be  the  practical  value  of  this 
law  for  any  purpose  of  life,  it  is  certainly  of  the  first 
importance  in  "winning  souls  to  Christ."  Never  in- 
sult or  abuse  any  man.  Why,  "  Michael  the  arch- 
angel, when  contending  vv'ith  the  devil,  he  disputed 
about  the  body  of  Moses,  durst  not  bring  against 
him  a  railing  accusation,  but  said,  The  Lord  rebuke 
thee." 

If  you  desire  to  lead  a  soul  to  Christ,  I  repeat,  ap- 
proach  him  gently,  begin  with  the  points  of  agree- 
ment, strike  the  chords  of  mutual  sympathy,  and  you 
■will;  by  the  blessing  of  God,  have  an  opportunity  of 


APPROPRIATENESS.  227 


doing  him  good.  You  may  not  always  succeed,  but 
if  you  can  not  by  that  means,  you  can  not  otherwise. 

Many  good  men  practically  ignore  this  rule,  and 
practice  its  opposite.  They  begin  with  the  points  of 
disagreement,  and  will  show  you  but  little  kind  affec- 
tion till  you  submit  and  come  over  to  their  side  of 
the  question.  In  manifesting  their  righteous  indigna- 
tion against  sin,  they  have  nothing  but  frowns,  hard 
names,  opprobrious  epithets  and  anathemas,  to  give 
to  the  sinner.  For  the  purpose  of  curing  the 
disease,  they  go  to  work  with  their  instruments  of 
death,  and  kill  the  patient.  Much  of  the  cross-firing 
at  other  Christian  denominations,  and  especially  at 
such  as  are  not  regarded  as  orthodox,  and  at  the 
Catholics,  is  done  in  the  same  spirit. 

Some  of  our  most  conscientious  brethren  and  sis- 
ters, who  sincerely  feel  it  their  duty  to  reprove  sin, 
publicly  and  privately,  think  of  the  sins  to  be  re- 
proved till  their  holy  horror  is  aroused,  and  they 
burn  Avith  zeal  to  get  hold  of  the  guilty  rebels ;  and, 
finding  opportunity,  they  go  at  them  with  their  legal 
sledge-hamrner,  and  batter  them  as  if  they  expected 
to  maul  the  grace  of  God  into  them,  with  or  without 
their  consent.  I  would  advise  such  persons  to  read 
Rary's  work  on  horse  training.  I  have  not  seen  the 
work  myself,  but  have  no  doubt,  from  what  I  have 
heard  of  Mr.  Raiy,  that  such  persons  seeing  the  ef- 
fect of  the  law  of  kindness  on  horses,  would  espe- 
cially see  its  importance  in  dealing  with  moral  agents. 

If,  on  my  first  approach   to    a   sinner,  I  make   a 


228  THE     MODEL     PREACUEK. 

direct  assault  on  liis  errors  of  doctrine  and  wickedness 
of  life,  having  truth  on  my  side,  I  may  silence  his 
objections  and  shut  his  mouth,  but  I  will,  in  all  prob- 
ability, more  effectually  shut  his  heart  against  me. 
I  shall  have  delivered  my  soul,  and  made  a  sinner  mad. 
But,  if  I  approach  him  as  a  brother,  strike  a  few 
chords  of  mutual  sympathj^,  cause  him  to  feel  that  I 
love  him,  and  thus  gain  his  confidence,  and  ingratiate 
myself  into  his  affections  ;  then,  if  the  good  Spirit  is 
pleased  to  bless  my  efforts  to  save  a  soul,  he  will 
kindly  receive  the  plainest  Gospel  talk  I  can  give  him, 
and  beg  me,  as  his  friend,  to  tell  him  all  I  see  in  him 
that  is  wrong.  If  I  should  be  guilty  of  catering  to 
his  bad  passions,  I  would  certainly  forfeit  his  confi- 
dence. He  will  expect  me,  as  the  friend  of  his 
soul,  to  be  honest,  and  to  deal  faithfully  with  him, 
and  withhold  no  truth  necessary  to  his  salvation,  how- 
ever mortifying  to  his  feelings. 

When  I  go  into  a  prison,  as  I  often  do,  to  see  what 
sin  is  doing  with  my  guilty  brethren,  and  to  see  if  I 
may  do  any  thing  for  their  relief,  I  go  to  a  man  in 
chains,  and  taking  him  by  the  hand,  say,  "My  dear 
brother,  I  am  sorry  to  find  you  here,"  and  the  de- 
graded man  will  go  to  weeping,  just  to  think  that  he 
has  a  brother  left,  who  can  care  for  his  soul,  and  pour 
a  little  sympathy  into  his  deserted  heart.  An  old 
lady,  in  giving  directions  how  to  dress  and  cook  a 
hare,  said,  "  The  first  thing  is  to  catch  it." 

But  you  inquire,  '•  Are  we  to  ignore  Gospel  polem- 
ics, the  delineation  and  condemnation  of  sin,  the  ter- 


APPROPRIATENESS.  229 , 

rors  of  the  law,  and  the  coming  retributions  of  the 
judgment?*'  No,  sir;  not  bj  any  means.  I  have 
told  you  -what  I  consider  the  Gospel  mode  of  ap- 
proaching a  sinner  you  Avish  to  lead  to  Christ — begin 
"with  the  points  of  agreement  as  I  have  illustrated, 
but  declare  the  -whole  counsel  of  God  to  him  before 
you  leave  him.  But  in  pouring  the  terrors  of  the 
law  upon  him,  and  in  tlie  dissection  of  his  soul  and 
body  with  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  be  sure  that  you 
manifest  constantly  the  same  spirit  of  love  with 
which  you  commenced. 

There  are,  besides  the  object  of  a  direct  eiFort  to  lead 
souls  to  Christ,  according  to  the  rule  I  have  set  forth, 
two  leading  legitimate  departments  of  Gospel  polem- 
ics in  which  the  embassadors  of  Christ  have  to  "  con- 
tend for  the  faith."  HhQ  first  involves  a  collision  with 
opposing  systems  of  formal  Christianity,  heathenism, 
Judaism,  and  hydra-headed  infidelity.  In  this  con- 
test they  do  not  generally  deal  directly,  so  much 
with  men  as  with  principles,  theories,  and  God-con- 
demned, hoary-headed,  time-honored  systems  of  er- 
ror and  sin.  The  direct  object  in  this  case  is  to  res- 
cue truth  from  the  masses  of  accumulated  error 
which  environ  and  conceal  it,  and  to  bring  it  out  un- 
shackled in  its  unadulterated  simplicity,  virgin  beau- 
ty, and  saving  power — to  grade  down  the  opposing 
hills  and  mountains,  fill  up  the  valleys,  "prepare 
the  way  of  the  Lord,  and  make  straight  in  the  desert 
a  highway  for  our  God."  The  second  involves  a  col- 
lision with  the  enemies  of  God,  scofi*ers  and  opposcrs, 


230  THE    MODEL    PKEACIIER. 

who  exert  themselves  to  overthrow  the  Gospel  or 
defeat  its  gracious  ends.  In  this  case  the  direct  ob- 
ject is  not  so  much  to  save  the  man  we  encounter,  as 
to  rescue  and  vindicate  the  truth"  for  the  sake  of 
those  whom  his  fallacious  arts  may  otherwise  poison 
and  destroy. 

It  sometimes  becomes  necessary,  for  the  truth's 
sake,  to  take  hold  of  such  a  man  in  argument  with- 
out ceremony,  and  deal  with  him  somewhat  as  David 
did  with  the  bear  which  broke  into  his  fold  and  com- 
menced devouring  his  lambs.  His  object  was  not  to 
save  the  bear,  but  to  save  the  lambs. 

St.  Paul  furnislies  a  forcible  illustration  of  this 
principle.  Paul  and  Barnabas,  in  a  missionary  tour 
through  the  island  of  Cyprus,  preached  and  had  a 
revival  in  the  town  of  Paphos.  Among  the  peni- 
tents was  "the  deputy  of  the  country,  Sergius  Paul- 
us,  a  prudent  man,  who  called  for  Barnabas  and 
Paul,  and  desired  to  hear  the  word  of  God.  But 
Elymus,  the  sorcerer,  a  false  prophet  and  a  Jew,  with- 
stood them,  seeking  to  turn  away  the  deputy  from  the 
faith.  Then  Paul,  fdlcd  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  set  his 
eyes  on  him,  and  said,  0  full  of  all  subtilty  and  all 
mischief,  thou  child  of  the  devil,  thou  enemy  of  all 
righteousness,  wilt  thou  not  cease  to  pervert  the 
right  ways  of  the  Lord?  And  nov>',  behold  the  hand 
of  the  Lord  is  upon  thee,  and  thou  shalt  be  blind, 
not  seeing  the  sun  for  a  season.  And  immediately 
there  fell  on  him  a  mist  and  a  darkness  ;  nnd  lie 
went  about  seeking  some  to  lead  him  by  the  hand." 


APPROPRIATENESS.  231 

Poor  wretch!  perhaps  that  was  the  onlj  thing  that 
could  bring  him  to  repentance.  "  Then  the  deputy, 
when  he  saw  what  was 'done,  believed,  being  aston- 
ished at  the  doctrine  of  the  Lord. 

In  these  two  departments  of  Christian  warfare, 
Luther,  Wesley,  Fletcher,  Watson,  and  a  vast  host  of 
others  of  different  denominations,  have  done  a  great 
work  for  the  Church.  On  the  same  principles  it  often 
becomes  necessary  still,  in  open  debate,  and  other- 
wise, to  vindicate  the  truth,  which,  however,  should 
always  be  done  in  a  Christian  spirit.  To  these  may 
be  added  the  "  anathema  maranatha,"  which  was  ap- 
plied only  to  incorrigible  souls  on  whom  all  the  win- 
ning appliances  of  the  Gospel  had  been  tried  in  vain. 
But  these  two  principles,  however  legitimate  and  im- 
portant, and  constituting  an  integral  part  of  the  great 
system  of  salvation,  are  nevertheless  different  from 
the  rule  I  have  so  largely  illustrated  of  directly  win- 
ning souls  to  Christ. 

That  you  may  the  more  clearly  see  that  I  have 
given  you  the  Gospel  rule  on  that  subject,  I  will  give 
a  few  specimen  proofs  from  the  book. 

King  David  was  guilty  of  a  most  aggravated  and 
atrocious  crime,  "  and  the  Lord  sent  the  prophet 
Nathan  unto  him."  How  did  the  prophet  approach 
the  apostate  King?  Did  he  go  into  the  palace  boiling 
over  with  indignation,  and  break  out  against  the  King, 
saying,  "Thou  vile  wretch,  what  hast  thou  done? 
Wherefore  hast  thou  despised  the  commandment  of 
the  Lord,  to  do  evil  in  lii=^  sigl:t?     Thou  hast  killed 


232  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

Uriah,  tlie  Hittite,  v.it]i  the  sword,  and  hast  taken  hia 
wife  to  be  thy  wife,  and  hast  slain  him  w^ith  the  sword 
of  the  children  of  Amnion.  Xow,  therefore,  the 
sword  shall  never  depart  from  thy  house."  Had  he 
thus  commenced  on  the  points  of  disagreement,  the 
enraged  King  would  probably  have  cut  the  prophet's 
head  off,  and  would  then  probably  have  gone  straight 
to  hell,  just  for  spite.  Nathan  understood  his  busi- 
ness better  than  that.  Calm  and  self-possessed,  he 
made  his  best  bow  to  the  fallen  King,  and  entertained 
him  with  an  interesting  story,  that  arrested  his  atten- 
tion, touched  his  sympathies,  and  waked  up  his  dor- 
mant conscience  on  the  side  of  justice  and  righteous- 
ness ;  and  when  he  got  the  King  fully  committed  by  a 
nail  driven  in  a  sure  place,  then  he  clinched  it  with  an 
application  that  swept  from  him  his  royal  robes  and 
mantled  him  with  sackcloth.  Then  the  prophet 
mauled  him  with  his  legal  sledge-hammer  till  the  old 
King  felt  like  his  "bones  were  scattered  at  the  grave's 
mouth,  as  when  one  cuttcth  and  cleaveth  wood  asun- 
der;" and  he  "ceased  not  his  roaring,  day  and  night," 
till  the  Lord  pardoned  his  "]:Jood-guiltiness,"  brought 
him  up  out  of  the  horrible  pit,  established  his  goings, 
and  put  a  new  sono;  into  his  mouth. 

Before  the  Savior  proclaimed  the  searching,  wither- 
ing truths  contained  in  his  sermon  on  the  mount,  he 
struck  about  a  dozen  of  the  tenderest  chords  of  mu- 
tual sympathy,  in  connection  with  as  many  m^ost  affec- 
tionate benedictions. 

Christ  and  his  apostles  always,  so  far  as  they  could 


APPROPPvIATEXESS.  233 

consistently  ^vith  the  righteousness  of  their  mission, 
behaved  in  the  most  conciliatory  manner  toward  the 
Jews,  conforming  to  all  their  customs  and  usages, 
civil,  social,  and  religious,  as  far  as  possible,  without 
a  compromise  of  their  principles. 

St.  Paul  explains  clearly  the  principle  on  which  he 
acted  in  this  matter,  saying,  "For  though  I  be  free 
from  all  men,  yet  have  I  made  myself  servant  unto 
all,  that  I  might  gain  the  more.  And  unto  the  Jews 
I  became  as  a  Jew,  that  I  might  gain  the  Jews ;  to 
them  that  are  under  the  law,  as  under  the  law,  that  I 
might  gain  them  that  are  under  the  law ;  to  them  that 
are  without  law,  as  without  law,  being  not  without 
law  to  God,  but  under  the  law  to  Christ " — he  did  not 
compromise  his  fidelity  to  God — "  that  I  might  gain 
them  that  are  without  law;  to  the  weak  became  I  as 
weak,  that  I  might  gain  the  weak:  I  am  made  all 
things  to  all  men,  that  I  might  by  all  means  save 
some.  And  this  I  do  for  the  Gospel's  sake,  that  I 
might  be  partaker  thereof  wdth  you." 

St.  Paul's  practice  conforms  exactly  to  his  theory 
in  this  matter.  He  even  went  so  far  as  to  circumcise 
Timothy,  and  went  into  the  temple  himself  and  had 
his  head  shaved,  and  observed  the  forms  of  purifica- 
tion, when  he  knew  they  w^ere  of  no  service  to  him 
w^hatever;  but  he  could  endure  these  things,  and 
hoped  to  conciliate  and  lead  others  to  Christ  by  that 
means.  When  preaching  to  the  heathen  he  quoted 
from  their  poets,  illustrated  from  their  games  and  cus- 
toms, and  was  made  all  things  to  them  that  he  "might 

20 


234  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

by  all  means  save  some."  "He  was  wise  as  a  serpent, 
yet  harmless  as  a  dove." 

When,  by  permission  of  Captain  Lysius,  St.  Paul 
addressed  the  mob  from  the  stairs  of  the  Anto- 
nian  tower,  he  commenced  thus  :  "Men,  brethren  and 
fathers,  hear  ye  my  defense,  which  I  now  make  unto 
you."  In  the  discourse  which  followed,  he  inter- 
spersed with  a  pure  Gospel,  directly  antagonistic  to 
the  feelings  and  prejudices  of  his  hearers,  so  many 
points  of  agreement  between  him  and  them  as  to  se- 
cure their  profound  attention  till  after  he  had  illus- 
trated the  power  of  the  Gospel  by  his  own  wonderful 
experience,  and  gave  an  account  of  his  call  to  the 
ministry,  and  his  'missionary  call  to  the  Gentiles. 
Then  the  uproar  commenced  again.  Had  he  com- 
menced his  sermon  where  he  left  off,  he  could  not 
have  commanded  a  hearing  for  one  minute.  As  it 
was,  he  preached  a  discourse  which  astonished  Captain 
Lysius,  who  had  taken  him  for  a  seditious  Egyptian, 
and  sent  home  the  shafts  of  truth  to  the  hearts  of 
guilty  thousands,  and  which  probably  resulted  in  the 
salvation  of  many  souls. 

The  last  sermon  of  St.  Stephen  is  a  fine  illustra- 
tion of  this  rule.  He  gave  the  persecuting  masses, 
who  were  clamoring  for  his  blood,  the  finest  synopsis 
of  Jewish  history  they  had  ever  heard  in  their  lives, 
and  before  they  could  break  the  charm  of  his  elo- 
quence he  preached  to  them  the  whole  summary  of 
the  Gospel,  with  the  consequence  of  its  rejection,  till 
"  they  were  cut  to  the  heart.''     The  mob,  to  be  sure, 


APPROPRIATENESS.  235 

stoned  him  to  death,  because  the  Lord  was  pleased  to 
'•receive  his  spirit,"  and  make  that  sermon,  sealed 
■\vith  his  blood,  more  effectual  in  the  salvation  of  sin- 
ners than  the  prolcmging  of  his  life  would  have  been. 
It  was  then,  doubtless,  that  the  truth  began  to  goad 
the  conscience  of  young  Saul ;  and  although  he  made 
havoc  of  the  Church  after  that,  he  found  it  very  hard 
to  kick  against  those  goads,  which,  with  the  remem- 
brance of  the  sermon  and  triumphant  death  of  Ste- 
phen, continued  to  prick  his  heart.  Had  Stephen 
commenced  his  discourse  with  the  points  of  disagree- 
ment, which  stood  out  like  gleaming  bayonets  near  its 
close,  the  mob  would  not  have  listened  to  him  ten 
seconds;  but,  upon  the  principle  I  am  advocating,  he 
preached  one  of  the  most  powerful  sermons  on  record. 
The  revelations  of  the  judgment  will  show  the  num- 
ber of  sinners  converted  as  the  result  of  it.  The 
preacher  fell— the  first  of  an  illustrious  train  of  mar- 
tyrs; but  from  the  seed  of  his  blood  sprang  up,  in 
due  time,  the  great  apostle  of  the  Gentiles. 

I  will  not  further  detain  you  with  proofs  and  illus- 
trations of  my  position  from  the  example  of  the  great 
Teacher  and  apostolic  usage.  You  will  find  them  in 
every  sermon  of  Jesus  and  his  primitive  embassadors. 


230  THE     MODEL     PREACHER, 


LETTER    XIII. 

APPROPRIATENESS  —  CONTINUED. 

My  Dear  Brother, — In  illustrating  to  you  the 
fifth  characteristic  of  the  Savior's  model  for  preach- 
ing the  Gospel,  I  proposed  to  deduce  tltree  rules  nec- 
essary to  effective  preaching : 

1.  A  wise  application  of  the  law  of  sympathy, 
which  I  have  largely  illustrated. 

2.  The  law  of  direct  appeal  to  the  heart. 

3.  The  law  of  direct  approach  to  Christ. 

The  last  two  I  will  illustrate  together.  The  great 
Teacher  and  his  apostles,  after  getting  access  to  a 
sinner's  confidence,  by  a  judicious  application  of  the 
law  of  sympathy,  made  a  direct  assault  upon  his 
heart  and  conscience.  They  lost  no  time  in  the  ap- 
plication of  outward  forms  and  ceremonies,  nor  in 
trying  to  cure  him  of  particular  sins,  nor  in  the  en- 
forcement of  special  outward  duties.  Their  object 
direct  was  to  convince  him  of  the  exceeding  sinful- 
ness of  sin — the  extreme  blackness  and  guilt  of  his 
heart,  and  strip  him  of  all  hope  in  any  past  or  future 
performances  of  his  own. 

St.  Paul  describes  this  state  of  hopeless  bondage 
revealed  in  the  awakened  soul  by  the  convincing 
Spirit.  Personating  the  convicted  sinner,  he  says : 
"We  know  that  the  law  is  spiritual;  but  I  am  carnal, 


APPROPRIATENESS.  237 

sold  under  sin.  For  that  which  I  do,  I  allow  not : 
for  what  I  would,  that  do  I  not ;  but  what  I  hate,  that 
I  do.  If  then  I  do  that  which  I  would  not,  I  con- 
sent unto  the  law  that  it  is  fj-ood."  I  acknowledo-e 
the  just  claims  of  the  law  of  God  upon  me,  and  1 
ought,  and  I  desire,  and  I  try  to  obey.  "  But  I  see 
another  law  in  mj  members  warring  against  the  law 
of  my  mind,  and  bringing  me  into  captivity  to  the  law 
of  sin  which  is  in  my  members '' — the  law  of  sinful 
propensity  and  vicious  habit.  Having  thus  defined 
the  hopeless  bondage  of  a  soul  in  its  sins,  he  illus- 
trates it.  To  appreciate  the  apostle's  illustration,  my 
brother,  you  must  accompany  him  in  your  mind  into 
a  Roman  prison. 

Prisons,  at  best,  are  uncomfortable  places.  I  have 
been  in  a  great  man^^ — always  went  in  voluntarily,  to 
be  sure ;  I  go  in  when  I  have  opportunity,  to  see 
how  mj  poor,  guilty  brothers  get  along  there — and  1 
never  saw  one  yet  that  struck  me  as  a  desirable  place 
for  residence ;  but  I  suppose  modern  prisons  are  pal- 
aces compared  with  the  old  Roman  jails  with  which 
St.  Paul  had  a  painfully-familiar  acquaintance. 

As  you  accompany  the  apostle  across  the  thresh- 
old, where  hope  bids  adieu  to  many  a  criminal,  the 
grating  of  the  massive  doors  on  their  rusty  hinges 
causes  you  to  shudder.  Dark  and  damp,  filled 
with  poisonous  vapors  stifling  you  with  stench,  you 
feel  that  you  have  entered  the  vestibule  of  hell. 
Passing  down  the  aisle,  quaking  with  horror  at  every 
step,  your  ears  are  saluted  from  the   cells  on  each 


238  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

side  ^vith  the  clanking  of  chains  and  hideous  groans. 
Poor  prisoners !  they  used  to  walk  in  the  light  of  the 
sun;  had  kind  mothers  and  sisters  to  caress  them. 
Some  of  them  have  -wives  and  children  whom  they 
have  not  seen  for  years,  and  may  never  see  again. 
But  when  you  reach  the  dungeon — 0,  such  hideous 
sounds  never  fell  on  your  ears  before !  What  upon 
earth  is  the  matter  ?  Poor  fellow,  he  must  be  strang- 
ling !  Take  a  light  and  peep  through  the  iron  grating. 
0,  horrible !  What  a  sight !  Why,  there  's  a  man 
bound  to  a  dead  body — a  decomposing  human  car- 
cass, face  to  face,  and  limb  to  limb,  securely  lashed. 
See  how  he  struggles!  Each  effort  to  free  himself 
only  brings  him  into  more  intimate  contact  with  the 
putrefying  mass.  Hear  the  broken  sobs  of  his  choked 
emotions  and  his  agonizing  cries :  "  0  wretched  man 
.that  I  am!  who  shall  deliver  me  from  this  dead  body?" 
There,  s^r,  is  the  sinner's  moral  condition,  as  drawn 
by  the  pen  of  inspiration.  What  shall  be  done  for  the 
relief  of  such  a  case?  Bring  in  spiritual  advisers, 
and  try  and  do  something  for  him  before  it  is  eter- 
nally too  late.  Each  one  has  a  prescription  for  the 
poor  fellow.  Old  Mr.  Harper,  whom  ,you  used  to 
know  in  Virginia,  after  listening  to  the  lamentation 
of  such  a  soul,  said  to  him  :  '-'If  that  is  your  condi^ 
tion,  I  do  n't  vrant  to  have  any  thing  to  ,do  with  you, 
I  know  you  must  be  one  of  the  reprobates,  and  J  can 
do  nothing  for  you." 

But,  if  you  listen  to  the  various  advice  of  the  com- 
forters of  the  poor,  imprisoned  soul,  you  will  hear  one 


APPrtOPRIATEXESS.  239 

say,  ''Be  composed,  my  friend.     There  is  no  use  in 
so  much  excitement.     Hold  your  peace,  Bartimeus  " 

Another  says,  "  Be  of  good  cheer,  my  friend,  God 
has  commenced  a  good  work  in  your  heart,  and  he 
will  surely  carry  it  on." 

Another,  thinking  his  conviction  not  quite  deep 
enough,  talks  to  him  of  death,  judgment,  and  hell,  and 
says,  "If  the  foretaste  is  so  dreadful,  my  friend, 
what  must  the  pains  of  the  second  death  be?" — the 
poor  fellow  meantime  crying,  "  0  wretched  man  that 
I  am !  who  shall  deliver  me  from  this  dead  body  ?" 

Another  says  to  him,  "  Do  n't  be  discouraged,  my 
brother.  Pray  on,  and  relief  will  come  by  and  by. 
The  darkest  hour  is  just  before  day." 

Another  prescribes  a  rule  of  life  for  him,  saying, 
"Read  the  Scriptures,  and  pray  three  times  each  day 
in  your  closet;  attend  the  class  meetings  and  the 
public  means  of  grace;  watch  the  risings  of  your  bad 
habits,  and  ask  for  strength  to  break  them;  and  you 
will  gradually  grow  in  grace,  and  overcome  the  power 
of  sin  and  Satan." 

Another,  "You  had  better  join  the  Church,  and 
identify  yourself  with  the  people  of  God." 

Another  wishes  to  discuss  the  mode  of  baptism 
with  him. 

Others  desire  to  enlist  his  influence  against  certain 
great  evils  of  the  land  which  they  set  forth  before 
him.  One  discusses  the  slavery  question;  another 
advocates  the  temperance  cause,  and  asks  him  to  join 
the  society. 


240  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

Others  wish  early  to  ioipress  him  with  the  sinful 
compromises  of  the  Church,  and  bespeak  his  influ- 
ence against  them — sectarianism,  and  worldliness,  and 
extravagance  in  dress.  Some  wish  him  to  go  against 
pews  and  organs  in  the  churches — others  try  to  en- 
tertain him  with  questions  of  Church  government, 
lay  representation,  the  presiding-elder  question,  and 
the  power  of  the  bishops. 

Then  comes  along  a  good  brother,  saying,  "  'Blessed 
are  they  that  mourn :  for  they  shall  be  comforted. 
You  are  already  blessed,  my  brother.  Don't  you 
love  the  Savior?  I  think  you  have  already  found 
comfort,  if  you  would  only  believe  it."  The  poor  fel- 
low cries  again,  "  0  wretched  man  that  I  am  !  who 
shall  deliver  me  from  this  body  of  death?" 

Then  a  humble  disciple,  "wise  to  win  souls," 
kneels  beside  the  despairing  soul,  and  after  invoking 
the  illumination  of  the  Spirit,  says,  "  This  is  a  faith- 
ful saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ 
Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners — even  the 
chief  of  sinners."  "  He  is  able  to  save,  to  the  utter- 
most, all  that  come  unto  God  by  him."  His  words, 
but  the  repetition  of  what  the  poor  struggling  soul 
had  often  heard,  arc  accompanied  with  such  an  unc- 
tion of  the  Holy  Spirit  that  they  descend  into  his  soul 
like  rain  into  the  thirsty  land.  "  Say  not  in  thy 
heart.  Who  shall  ascend  into  heaven?  that  is,  to 
bring  Christ  down  from  above  ;  or.  Who  shall  descend 
into  the  deep  ?  that  is,  to  bring  up  Christ  again  from 
the  dead.     But  what  saith  it?"     What  saith  the  Gos- 


APPROPRIATENESS.  241 

pel  ?  The  Word — the  living  Word,  in  the  fullness  of 
his  saving  mercy — is  nigh  thee.  The  desire  thou  now 
feelest  in  thy  heart,  and  express  with  thy  mouth,  is 
proof  that  he  is  nigh  thee — "  Working  in  thee  now  to 
will  and  to  do  his  good  pleasure."  Submit  to  him, 
my  brother;  venture  your  soul  and  body  on  his 
might,  his  mercy,  his  atoning  blood.  "Believe  in 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved."  Lay- 
ing "hold  of  the  hope  set  before  him,"  and  clinging 
to  Christ,  as  a  drowning  man  to  the  last  plank,  the 
penitent  believes  in  his  heart,  and  makes  confession 
with  his  mouth,  exclaiming,  "  ^  I  thank  God  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,'  I  have  redemption  —  'even 
the  forgiveness  of  sins.'  '  There  is,  therefore,  now  no 
condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  who 
walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit.  For  the 
law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus  hath  made 
me  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death '  " — the  law  of 
sin  which  reigned  in  his  members,  and  the  death  pen- 
alty of  the  moral  law.  "  For  what  the  law  could  not 
do,  in  that  it  was  weak  through  the  flesh" — the  flesh 
was  too  weak  to  fill  its  requirement,  and,  therefore,  it 
could  do  nothing  but  condemn  and  execute  its  penalty 
on  the  guilty  soul ;  but  what  the  law  could  not  do,  God 
hath  done  by  "  sending  his  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of 
sinful  flesh,  and  by  a  sacrifice  for  sin  condemned  sin  in 
the  flesh" — passed  sentence  of  death  upon  it  that  it 
should  be  destroyed  out  of  my  heart  by  his  death. 
"  That  the  righteousness  of  the  law  might  be  fulfilled  in 

U8  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit." 

•21 


242  TUE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

The  moral  law,  which  demands  perfect  obedience  and 
rectitude,  and  holds  me,  in  default,  subject  to  its  pen- 
alty of  eternal  death,  accepts,  as  an  equivalent  for 
perfect  rectitude,  which  I  never  could  render,  the 
love  of  Christ  shed  abroad  in  my  heart  through  faith. 
That  is  my  receipt  in  full  for  all  past  claims  of  the 
law  against  me,  and  that  is  the  principle  of  righteous- 
ness within,  which  the  law  approves.  This  living 
faith,  uniting  me  to  Christ,  as  the  branch  to  the  vine, 
works  by  love,  purifies  the  heart,  and  manifests  itself 
in  all  appropriate  good  works.  "As  the  branch  can 
not  bear  fruit  of  itself,  except  it  abide  in  the  vine," 
saith  the  great  Teacher:  "no  more  can  ye,  except  ye 
abide  in  me." 

The  first  object,  then,  of  apostolic  preaching  was 
to  pierce  the  sinner's  heart  with  the  sword  of  the 
Spirit,  and  then  without  delay  to  bring  him  directly 
to  the  great  Physician. 

Three  thousand  souls,  under  the  preaching  of  Peter 
at  the  great  Pentecost,  were  thus  awakened,  convert- 
ed, baptized,  and  admitted  into  the  Church  in  a  single 
day. 

Has  the  Gospel  lost  any  of  its  power  ?  It  remains 
unchanged  and  unchangeable,  unexhausted  and  inex- 
haustible, because  Jesus  Christ  is  its  soul  and  grand 
impersonation — "  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for- 
ever." How  often,  in  apostolic  times,  did  a  w^eary, 
heavy-laden  sinner  have  to  approach  the  Savior  before 
he  could  obtain  relief?  Why  is  it  that  the  demon- 
stration of  the  Spirit  does  not  attend  the  preaching 


APPROPRIATENESS.  243 

of  this  same  mighty  Gospel  with  the  same  saving 
effect  noYf  as  then  ?  Is  it  not  a  want  of  faith  on  the 
part  of  preachers  and  people  ?  Are  we  not,  to  an 
alarming  extent,  substituting  for  living,  purifying,  ef- 
fective faith,  a  system  of  forms,  vows,  rules  for  holy 
living,  and  outward  performances  ?  How  little  do  we 
know  of  those  rules  of  direct  appeal  to  the  heart,  and 
direct  approach  to  Christ,  so  patent  in  apostolic  times ! 
We  know  that  "the  springs  of  Jericho"  ought  to 
be  healed.  "The  situation  of  the  city" — the  provi- 
dential position  of  the  Church — "is  pleasant.'^  "But 
the  water  is  naught,  and  the  ground  is  barren."  We 
have  "the  new  cruse"  of  the  Gospel  full  "of  salt," 
and  we  doubt  not  its  healing  power,  but  instead  of 
casting  it  right  into  the  fountain — the  heart — we  put 
it  a  little  w^ay  down  the  stream,  down  in  the  outward 
life,  where  we  expect  to  see  the  fruit.  But  you  in- 
quire, "  Shall  we  not  give  attention  to  the  outward 
life  ?  reprove  sin  of  every  kind,  and  enforce  rules  for 
the  regulation  of  the  outward  conduct?"  Certainly; 
but  the  way  to  do  that  effectually  is  to  get  the  heart 
right,  to  have  "  the  cruse  of  salt  cast  into  the  spring," 
and  heal  the  fountain.  A  corrupt  fountain  will  send 
forth  a  corrupt  stream.  "An  evil  tree  will  bring 
forth  evil  fruit."  If  the  fountain  be  pure  the  stream 
will  be  pure,  "  and  there  shall  not  be  from  thence  any 
more  death  or  barren  land."  2  Kings  ii,  21.  "A 
good  tree  bringeth  forth  good  fruit,"  but  any  outward 
fruitfulness  which  does  not  proceed  from  the  healthy 
sap   of    grace   in   the    soul    is    of    tho   mock-orange 


244  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

stamp  —  worthless  —  or  any  exuberance  of  outward 
fruit  beyond  the  proportion  of  inward  sap  will  require 
such  a  wide  circulation  of  the  sap  over  so  extensive  a 
surface  of  half-dead  branches,  that  it  can  bring  forth 
but  little  fruit  to  perfection. 

If  the  inward  life  exists  in  the  soul,  there  will  be 
no  difficulty  in  regulating  its  outward  appropriate 
manifestation.  If  that  is  lacking,  every  thing  else  is 
utterly  unavailing.  "  I  may  speak  with  the  tongues  of 
men  and  of  angels ;  I  may  have  the  gift  of  prophecy, 
and  understand  all  mysteries  and  all  knowledge ;  and 
may  have  all  faith,  so  that  I  could  remove  mountains ; 
I  may  give  all  my  goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and  give 
my  body  to  be  burned,  and  yet  all  these  will  be  but 
as  sounding  brass  or  a  tinkling  cymbal,  and  profit  me 
nothing,  unless  I  have  the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in 
my  heart  by  the  Holy  Ghost  given  unto  me." 

"But  how  shall  we  get  the  sinner's  heart  right 
unless  we  begin  on  the  outside,  and  convince  him  of 
his  sins  by  setting  them  in  dark  array  before  him,  and 
teach  him  how  to  overcome  them,  and  seek  Christ  in 
trying  to  lead  a  new  life  ?"  A  general,  in  storming 
a  city,  do  n't  stop  to  demolish  every  house  and  shanty 
on  his  way,  much  less  to  discuss  questions  pertaining 
to  the  municipal  government  of  the  city  after  he  shall 
have  taken  it.  Such  things,  however  important  in 
their  place,  are  entirely  out  of  order  at  such  a  time. 
They  would  divert  attention  from  the  main  question 
of  the  day;  consume  the  time  on  the  proper  use 
of   which  the   victory   depends,   and  probably  result 


APPROPRIATENESS.  245 

in  a  shameful  defeat,  instead  of  a  glorious  con^j[uest. 
His  one  business  is  first  to  force  a  breach  through  the 
walls,  and  batter  down  as  many  obstructions  as  are 
necessary  to  give  him  a  passage  to  the  citadel,  upon 
which  he  impetuously  rushes  with  all  his  concentra- 
ted force,  and  carries  it  by  storm.  Having  got  pos- 
session of  the  city,  he  can  then  demolish,  and  build 
up,  and  regulate  its  government  as  occasion  may  re- 
quire. 

In  storming  a  sinner's  heart,  my  brother,  heave 
away  with  the  battering-ram  of  legal  thunder  till  you 
force  a  breach.  Do  n't  stop  then  to  talk  of  the  num- 
ber and  comparative  turpitude  of  his  sins,  nor  to 
introduce  questions  of  orthodoxy  or  rules  of  holy 
living,  but  rush  for  the  citadel — the  conscience  and 
will — and  having  taken  that,  the  poor  sinner  will  feel 
that  the  smallest  sin  he  ever  committed  involves  the 
death  penalty,  and  what  he  called  his  good  works  are 
but  ''  filthy  rags."  Then — to  change  the  application 
of  the  figure — run  with  him,  and  show  him  how  to 
flee  the  wrath  to  come,  to  escape  the  pursuing  aven- 
ger, to  rush  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven — "  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  suffereth  violence,  and  the  violent 
take  it  by  force."  These,  my  brother,  are  but  faint 
glimpses  of  those  potent  laws  manifest  in  apostolic 
preaching,  which  I  have  denominated  the  law  of 
direct  appeal  to  the  heart,  and  the  law  of  direct  ap- 
proach to  Christ. 

I  had  a  talk  with  aunt  Ellen,  some  months  ago,  on 
tnis  subject.     Her  hobby,  you  know,  is  plainness  of 


246  THE    MODEL    P  REACH  ER. 

dress,  and  she  is  so  tliorougliiy  posted  on  all  the^ 
authorities  on  the  subject,  from  St.  Paul  down,  that 
it  is  no  use  for  any  body  to  try  to  oppose  her,  should 
they  desire  to  do  so.  She  is  so  strict  and  sensitive 
on  the  subject,  that  the  preacher  who  came  along 
wearing  a  satin  vest,  or  a  gold  watch,  or  preacher's 
wife  v.earing  a  silk  dress,  had  to  listen  to  a  sermon 
on  dress  they  never  would  forget.  Aunt  Ellen,  too, 
though  a  merchant's  wife,  is  herself  an  example  of 
plainness,  and  so  unquestionably  pious,  that  her  words 
have  great  weight,  but  she  talks  so  much  on  that  one 
subject,  that  a  person  in  her  company  can  scarcely 
think  of  any  thing  else. 

The  day  of  our  little  discussion  we  were  traveling 
on  horseback  through  the  woodlands  from  her  house 
to  grandma's.  Before  w^e  got  out  of  sight  of  home 
she  introduced  her  favorite  theme,  and  urged  me  to 
exert  my  power  toward  arresting  the  progress  of 
pride  and  extravagance  of  dress,  which  were  destroy- 
ing the  vitality  of  the  Church,  and  reducing  thousands 
of  fiimilies  to  bankruptcy. 

I  was  too  nearly  of  her  mind  as  to  the  enormity  of 
the  evil  to  admit  of  a  dispute  on  the  main  question, 
but  I  ventured  to  say,  that  by  harping  on  that  one 
question,  or  any  other  pertaining  to  the  outward  life, 
so  much,  there  was  danger  of  exciting  the  prejudices 
of  the  persons  we  wish  to  benefit  against  us,  so  as  to 
weaken  our  influence  over  them  for  good,  and  by 
making  a  secondary  question  so  prominent,  we  might 
divert  their  attention  from  the  vital  thing  of  boking 


APPROPRIATENESS.  247 

unto  Jesus,  and  defeat  our  designs  by  our  well-ineant 
but  misdirected  zeal. 

*-0,  brother  T.,"  she  replied,  "none  of  the  com- 
mands of  God  are  of  secondary  importance.  The 
Scriptures  positively  prohibit  '  the  putting  on  of  gold 
and  costly  apparel,'  and  there  is  no  danger  of  dealing 
too  severely  vrith  sin." 

I  admit  that  every  thing  in  the  Scriptures  is  im- 
portant, and  should  be  carried  into  practical  effect 
according  to  tlie  design  of  the  Lawgiver,  but  some 
things  even  in  the  Scriptures  are  more  important 
than  others.  St.  Paul  enumerates  a  great  many  im- 
portant things  -which  vre  may  possess,  and  yet  be  des- 
titute of  the  most  important  thing — the  inward  life — 
the  love  of  God  in  the  heart.  All  besides  profit 
us  nothing.  To  produce  a  sound  outward  reforma- 
tion, we  must  give  special  attention  to  the  essential 
thino:  of  o:ettin2;  the  heart  rio;ht.  Gain  access  to  the 
heart  by  some  means;  begin  inside  and  work  outward, 
instead  of  spending  all  our  time  in  vainly  trying 
to  correct  outvrard  evils  while  the  fountain  remains 
impure. 

One-ideaism,  which  is  a  dangerous  form  of  fanati- 
cism, whether  it  pertain  to  plainness  of  dress,  or  tem- 
perance, or  any  theological  dogma — no  matter  how 
valuable  in  itself — almost  invariably  becomes  so  perti- 
nacious as  to  divert  attention  from  every  thing_  else, 
and  taking  hold  only  on  the  outward  life,  either  in  re- 
proving and  trying  to  correct  certain  evils,  or  in  the 
endless  discussion  of  some    dogmatical  question,  its 


248  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

effect  upon  the  vital  question  of  looking  unto  Jesus, 
the  author  and  finisher  of  our  faith,  is  decidedly  bad. 
In  constantly  obtruding  your  one  idea  upon  persons, 
you  begin  on  the  outside — raise  the  points  of  disa- 
greement first — strike  the  discords  of  their  souls,  and 
thus  excite  their  dread  or  hate,  so  that  you  can  not 
lead  them  to  Christ  as  you  might  otherwise  do. 

After  some  talk  further  on  both  sides  of  the  ques- 
tion, aunt  Ellen  said  in  a  surprise,  '-Brother  T., 
which  way  are  we  going?  We  have  got  into  the 
•wrong  path.  How  did  we  come  to  miss  the  way? 
Did  you  see  w^here  wo  turned  off?" 

*'  No,  aunt,"  I  replied,  "  my  attention  w^as  occupied 
with  the  subject  of  our  talk,  and  I  took  no  notice  of 
which  w^ay  we  were  going.  That,  too,  is  just  in  ac- 
cordance with  my  position — draw  ofi"  the  mind  in  end- 
less discussions  about  secondary  matters,  and  we  are 
sure  to  get  out  of  the  path." 

"  Come,  brother  T.,"  she  replied,  "  you  must 
not  be  too  hard  with  me  till  we  get  out  of  the 
w^oods." 

On  we  went  till,  coming  to  a  road,  we  met  a  col- 
ored man  driving  a  wagon  and  team. 

"Uncle  Daniel,"  said  aunt,  ''can  you  tell  me  the 
way  to  mother's  ?" 

"  Yes^  missus  ;  jis  down  dar  de  road  crosses  and 
go  up  dat  ridge." 

"  How  far  is  it,  uncle  Daniel,  to  where  the  road 
crosses?" 

"  0,  jis  down  in  dat  holler.     I  show  you."     So  the 


APPROPRIATENESS.  249 

kind-hearted  fellow  jumped  off  liis  horse  and  ran  to 
show  us  the  way. 

As  we  passed  along,  said  I,  "  Uncle  Daniel,  are  you 
acquainted  with  Jesus  ?'' 

"  0  yes,  bless  de  Lord,  I  knows  Jesus  any  whars." 
"  Hov/  long  since  you  got  acquainted  with  Jesus?" 
"  0,  praise  de  Lord,  I  knows  him  for  years." 
"How  do  you  like  him,  uncle  Daniel?" 
*-0,  I  likes  him  first-rate.     He  de  best  friend  to 
poor  cohered  man  yet." 

"He  improves  on  acquaintance,  do  n't  he?" 
"0   yes,  glory  to  King  Jesus,  I  loves  him  better 
and  better." 

"  Good-by,  uncle  Daniel." 
"0,  mus'  you  go  ?" 

"Yes,  uncle  Daniel,  I  must  go;  but  we'll  meet 
again  ^ right  early  in  the  morning;'  we  '11  shake  hands 
again  on  the  ^  other  side  of  the  river.'  Will  you  meet 
me,  uncle  Daniel?" 

"  0  yes,  glory  to  King  Jesus,  I  meets  you  up  dar 
in  de  morning." 

Said  aunt  Ellen,  as  we  passed  up  the  ridge, 
"Brother  T.,  the  colored  people  about  here  think  you 
are  more  than  mortal." 

"  Well,  now,  aunt  Ellen,  I  did  not  think  of  it  dur- 
ing my  little  talk  with  uncle  Daniel,  but  it  strikes  me 
that  this  is  another  wayside  illustration  of  my  argu- 
ment. If  I  had  commenced  on  the  outside  of  that 
colored  man,  and  struck  a  discordant  note  or  two  to 
begin  with,  I  could  not  have  reached  his  heart  in  an 


250  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

hour,  perhaps  not  at  all ;  but  I  commenced  on  the  in- 
side of  the  colored  brother,  raised  a  few  points  of 
agreement,  and  see  how  the  flood-tide  of  his  heart's 
emotions  flowed  out.  I  could  now  tell  him  in  all 
plainness,  as  a  brother,  whatever  I  should  find  within 
him,  or  in  his  conduct,  contrary  to  the  spirit  of  the 
Gospel,  with  the  confident  hope  of  correcting  his 
irregularities.  A  foolish  fondness  for  superfluities  of 
dress  and  other  forms  of  extravagance,  and  many 
other  things  in  the  Church,  ought  to  be  reproved  and 
removed;  but  there  is  a  right  way  and  a  wrong  way  to 
go  about  it.  If  you  can  not  accomplish  it  by  what  I 
believe  to  be  the  Gospel  mode,  which  I  have  been  ad- 
vocating, I  am  clearly  of  the  opinion  that  you  never 
will  by  any  other  mode.  I  am  as  much  in  favor  of 
amputating  the  diseased  members  of  the  body  as 
you  can  be,  but  we  should  always  consult  the  inward 
strength  and  vitality  of  the  patient,  and  use  the  knife 
as  promptly  as  the  suff*erer  can  bear  it  without  too 
great  a  hazard  of  life." 

Aunt  Ellen,  without  changing  her  views  of  plain- 
ness— a  thing  I  did  not  wish  her  to  do — admitted  that 
she  had  not  pursued  the  more  excellent  way  in  pre- 
senting and  pressing  her  cause,  and  promised,  in  the 
future,  to  begin  on  the  points  of  agreement,  gain  ac- 
cess to  the  heart,  conduct  that  heart  to  Christ,  and  in 
the  light  of  the  cross,  and  by  the  purifying  blood  of 
sprinkling,  reveal  and  remove  the  evils  of  the  outward 
life. 


THE     MASTER'S     MODEL.  251 


LETTER    XIV. 

THE     MASTER'S     MODEL. 

My  Dear  Brother, — In  elaborating  and  illustra- 
ting what  I  believe  to  be  the  leading  characteristics  of 
the  model  preacher's  mode  of  preaching  the  Gospel, 
though  I  have  been  somewhat  lengthy  in  drawing 
them  out  in  their  practical  application  to  the  demands 
of  the  present  times,  I  designed  my  treatment  of  the 
subject  to  be  rather  suggestive  than  exhaustive.  I 
know  I  have  not  exhausted  my  theme,  and  feel  inca- 
pable of  doing  it  justice ;  I  hope  I  have  not  exhaust- 
ed your  patience.  While  I  have  in  part  proved  from 
divine  and  apostolic  precedent  the  various  essential 
elements  of  my  model  as  I  proceeded  with  the  discus- 
sion, it  remains  for  me  now  to  bring  out  its  different 
parts  in  their  symmetrical  combination,  and  compare 
the  model  as  a  whole  with  the  Gospel  standard ;  and 
then,  in  conclusion,  to  show,  a§  far  as  my  space  will 
allow,  by  specimen  extracts  from  some  of  the  m.ost 
popular  pulpit  orators  of  different  centuries,  that 
the  success  of  the  embassadors  of  Christ,  from  the 
call  of  the  apostles  down  to  the  present  period, 
has  depended  on  their  conformity  to  their  Master's 
model,  and  that  their  success  in  movins  the  masses, 
and  preaching  the  Gospel  effectively,  has  been  exactly 
proportionate  to  the  degree  of  their  conformity  to  it. 


252  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

The  leading  characteristics,  then,  of  the  great  Teach- 
er's model  are  : 

I.  Clearness. 

II.  Earnestness. 

III.  Naturalness. 

IV.  Literalness. 

y.  Appropriateness,  or  a  wise  adaptation  of 
truth  to  the  living  subject. 

I  need  not  here  repeat  my  definition  of  these  essen- 
tial elements  of  pulpit  power.  I  might  have  added 
the  unction  of  the  Spirit  as  a  distinct  point,  but  I  have 
taken  the  ground  that  the  unction  of  the  Spirit  must 
pervade  the  whole  to  give  them  efficiency  in  leading 
sinners  to  Christ,  and  then  at  last  perform  the  work 
of  applying  the  remedy  and  saving  the  soul. 

The  Holy  Spirit  needs,  and  hence  employs,  human 
instrumentality  in  the  great  business  of  soul-saving, 
but  the  saving  effect  can  only  be  secured  by  the  om- 
nipotent strength  of  the  holy  Trinity.  "  It  is  God 
that  justifieth."  ''It  is  Christ  that  died,  yea,  rather, 
that  is  risen  again,  who  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of 
God,  who  also  maketh  intercession  for  us."  It  is  the 
Holy  Spirit  that  "convinces  the  sinner  of  sin," 
"works  in  him  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good 
pleasure,"  makes  "him  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and 
death,"  delivers  him  from  the  power  of  darkness,  and 
"translates  him  into  the  kingdom"  of  Jesus,  and 
finally  seals  him  "unto  the  day  of  redemption,"  and 
then  "quickens  the  mortal  bodies"  of  the  saints,  and 
resurrects  them  in  the  likeness  of  their  risen  Savior. 


THE     MASTER'S     MODEL'.  253 

The  love  of  God  the  Father  is,  therefore,  the  origin- 
ating cause  of  our  salvation — "  God  so  loved  the 
world  that  he  gave  his  only-begotten  Son." 

The  atoning  sacrifice  of  Christ  is  the  meritorious 
cause.  "  We  have  redemption  through  his  blood, 
even  the  forgiveness  of  sins." 

The  present  energy  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  the  effi- 
cient appropriating  cause.  These  combined  forces  of 
God  the  Father,  God  the  Son,  and  God  the  Holy 
Ghost  cooperate  with  the  instrumental  cause  involved 
in  the  model  I  have  given,  and  with  all  other  moral 
appliances  God  is  pleased  to  employ  in  the  world. 
No  power  short  of  the  omnipotence  of  the  holy  Trin- 
ity can  save  a  soul  from  death,  and  yet  we  are  by 
Divine  appointment  "workers  together  with  God"  in 
this  business ;  therefore,  my  brother,  "  study  to  show 
thyself  approved  unto  God,  a  workman  that  needeth 
not  to  be  ashamed,  ri";htlv  dividino^  the  word  of 
truth." 

"The  pattern  given  us  on  the  holy  mount" — the 
model  I  have  presented — is  the  only  one  you  need  to 
work  by,  for  all  the  characteristics  defining  that  model 
are  clearly  and  directly  manifested  in  every  example 
recorded  of  divine  and  apostolic  teaching.  If  an  ex- 
ception there  be  to  this  remark,  it  is  in  naturalness, 
which,  pertaining  principally  to  manner,  we  have  to 
gather  mainly  by  implication.  We  know  that  the 
honest  simplicity  of  Jesus  and  his  apostles  would  not 
in  any  case  permit  affectation.  Needless  formality 
and  unnatural  stiffness  in  gestures  or  intonations  are 


254  THE     MODEL    PREACHER. 

equally  inconsistent  with  their  character  and  calling. 
And  from  the  social  habits  of  the  God-man,  his  fa- 
miliar intercourse  with  the  people  of  all  classes,  and 
the  effect  of  his  preaching  upon  them,  wo  are  warrant- 
ed in  the  conclusion  that  his  naturalness  of  gesture, 
tones  of  voice,  forms  of  expression,  every  thing,  Avere 
perfect.  The  direct  appeals  to  the  heart,  and  simple 
touches  that  intersperse  the  Savior's  discourses,  and, 
indeed,  the  spirit,  tone,  and  attendant  circumstances 
of  every  discourse,  all  bear  testimony  to  the  perfec- 
tion of  his  naturalness. 

The  apostles,  doubtless,  adopted  his  model,  and 
clearly  manifest  all  its  characteristics  in  their  Gospel 
ministrations.  The  matter  of  their  discourses  differs 
from  that  of  the  Savior's  in  that,  while  he  preached 
the  Gospel  in  its  incipiency,  they  added  the  startling 
facts  of  the  crucifixion,  resurrection,  and  ascension  of 
their  Lord,  and  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  with 
the  signs  following,  and  preached  the  Gospel  in  its 
full  development. 

Jesus  built  the  Gospel  arch,  and  by  his  death  pre- 
pared the  keystone,  which,  after  his  resurrection,  he 
fitted  in  its  place,  binding  the  whole  arch.  The  Holy 
Spirit  descended  and  cleared  away  the  scaffolding 
and  rubbish,  and  reflected  the  divine  glory  upon  it, 
and  anointed  his  embassadors,  according  to  the  prom- 
ise contained  in  the  last  words  of  their  ascending 
Sovereign,  to  go  forth  as  "  witnesses  of  these  things 
throughout  Judea,  and  Samaria,  and  Galilee,  and  to 
the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth,"  "to  preach  the  Gos- 


THE     MASTER'S     MODEL.  255 

pel  to  every  creature,"  and  invite  a  -world  of  .sinners 
lost  to  enter  through  this  "  new  and  living  way"  into 
the  Eden  of  love  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  obtain  inher- 
itance among  the  sanctified  in  heaven. 

When  you  familiarize  your  mind,  my  brother, 
with  the  points  I  have  named  contained  in  the 
Savior's  model,  you  will  see  them  standing  out  so 
prominently  in  every  recorded  sermon  in  the  Bible 
that  I  need  hardly  make  another  selection  from  the 
book  in  proof  or  illustration  of  their  correctness ;  and 
yet  I  may  be  permitted  to  hold  up  my  model  by  the 
light  of  a  few  more  specimens  of  Gospel  sermonizing, 
that  you  may  see  more  clearly  its  conformity  to  the 
divine  pattern.  I  do  not  propose  to  introduce  any 
new  mode,  but  simply  to  define  and  bring  more  clearly 
to  light  the  good  old  mode  that  worked  so  well 
eighteen  hundred  years  ago. 

Once  when  Jesus  was  preaching,  "Behold  a  certain 
lawyer  stood  up  and  tempted  him,  saying,  Master, 
what  shall  I  do  to  inherit  eternal  life?"  The  Master, 
to  test  his  knowledge  of  the  moral  law,  and  to  com- 
mit him  to  that  standard — it  is  no  use  to  argue  with  a 
man  unless  he  will  subscribe  to  some  test-standard — 
proposed  to  him  this  question:  "What  is  written  in 
the  law?  how  readest  thou?  And  he,  answering,  said. 
Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart, 
and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  strength,  and 
with  all  thy  mind,  and  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.  And 
he  said  unto  him,  Thou  Hast  answered  right;  this  do, 
and  thou  shalt  live.     But  he,  willing  to  justify  himself, 


256  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

said  unto  Jesus,  And  -who  is  my  neighbor?"  If 
Jesus  had  produced  an  abstract  argument  to  prove 
that  his  neighbors  were  not  confined  to  his  own  sect, 
the  Jewish  Church,  but  also  embraced  the  members 
of  other  nations,  he  might  have  argued  for  an  hour 
without  getting  the  lawyer  to  concede  a  single  point. 
If  he  had  said  to  the  legal  gentleman,  ^-A  Samaritan 
is  your  neighbor,"  he  would  have  taken  it  as  an  in- 
sult. What!  a  dog  my  neighbor?  But  the  wise 
Teacher  brought  out  the  point  of  his  argument  with 
irresistible  force  by  a  simple  literal  illustration,  say- 
ing, ^'  A  certain  man  went  down  from  Jerusalem  to 
Jericho,  and  fell  among  thieves,  which  stripped  him 
of  his  raiment,  and  wounded  him,  and  departed,  leav- 
ing him  half  dead."  The  attention  of  every  hearer 
was  wide  awake  now  to  hear  about  th(f  tragedy  on 
that  dangerous  road.  (But  what  had  that  to  do  with 
the  question?)  "And  by  chance  there  came  down  a 
priest  that  way."  Ah!  he  will  help  his  poor  bleeding 
brother.  No.  "When  he  saw  him  he  passed  by  on 
the  other  side."  (A  surprise.)  "  And  likewise  a  Le- 
vite,  when  he  was  at  the  place,  came  and  looked  on 
him."  Ah!  the  sight  will  affect  his  heart,  and  he  will 
pity  and  help  his  dying  brother.  Nay;  he  turned  his 
back  upon  him,  "and  passed  by  on  the  other  side." 
(Another  surprise.)  "But  a  certain  Samaritan,  as  he 
journeyed,  came  where  he  was."  Ah!  there  is  such 
relentless  hate  existing  between  the  Jews  and  Samari- 
tans th;it  he  will  show  him  no  mercy.  If  his  own 
brethren  will  not  even  speak  a  word  of  comfort  to  hia 


THE     MASTER'S     MODEL.  257 

dying  ears,  we  may  expect  his  enemy  to  give  him  a 
kick  as  he  passes,  and  mutter  malicious  satisfaction 
over  his  downfall.  Nay :  *'  When  the  Samaritan  saw 
him  he  had  compassion  on  him,  and  went  to  him,  and 
bound  up  his  wounds,  pouring  in  oil  and  wine,  and  set 
him  on  his  own  beast,  and  brought  him  to  an  inn,  and 
took  care  of  him.  And  on  the  morrow,  when  he  de- 
parted, he  took  out  two  pence  and  gave  them  to  the 
host,  and  said  unto  him.  Take  care  of  him,  and  what- 
soever thou  spendest  more,  when  I  come  again  I  will 
repay  thee.''  The  greatest  surprise  of  all ;  for  though 
hated  as  a  dog  by  the  Jews,  he  did  not  simply  say, 
"I'm  sorry  for  thee,  my  friend;"  nor,  "Here's  a 
penny,  and  if  every  body  else  will  do  as  much  for  thee, 
thou  wilt  do  well."  Nay,  he  did  for  him  every  thing 
that  he  needed — was  physician  and  nurse ;  put  him  on 
his  own  horse,  and  walked  along  side  and  held  him  on ; 
did  not  send  him  off  to  some  alms-house  or  charity- 
hospital,  but  took  him  to  the  inn,  and  watched  with 
him  that  night  till  he  saw  him  out  of  danger,  and  be- 
came responsible  for  his  board  at  the  hotel  till  he 
should  entirely  recover.  Then  inquired  Jesus  of  the 
lawyer,  "Which,  now,  of  these  three,  thinkest  thou, 
was  neighbor  unto  him  that  fell  among  the  thieves? 
And  he  said.  He  that  showed  mercy  on  him" — an 
admission  from  the  lawyer  that  even  a  Samaritan  was 
a  neighbor.  "  Then  said  Jesus  unto  hiiji,  Go  and  do 
thou  likewise" — be  a*  neighbor,  not  to  your  own  peo- 
ple simply,  but  to  all  men — not  to  friends  only,  but  to 
enemies. 

22 


258  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

Do  you  not  see,  my  brother,  the  clearness,  tho 
earnestness,  the  naturalness,  the  literalness,  and  ap- 
propriateness of  this  specimen  of  the  Savior's  preach- 
ing? You  may  select  any  other  example  you  please, 
and  the  result  will  be  the  same. 

Take  an  example  of  apostolic  preaching:  Peter 
preached  to  vast  multitudes  in  Solomon's  porch.  He 
had  a  literal  illustration  of  his  subject  in  the  person 
of  the  lame  man,  who  had  just  been  healed  at  the 
beautiful  gate  of  the  temple.  He  had  "leaped,  and 
walked,  and  praised  God,"  till  the  audience,  drawn 
together  by  his  shouts,  "  were  filled  with  wonder  and 
amazement  at  that  which  had  happened  unto  him." 

Peter's  sermon  on  the  occasion  is  thus  reported  by 
Dr.  Luke :  "  Ye  men  of  Israel,  why  marvel  ye  at  this? 
or  why  look  ye  so  earnestly  on  us,  as  though  by  our 
own  power  or  holiness  we  had  made  this  man  to  walk  ? 
The  God  of  Abraham,  and  of  Isaac,  and  of  Jacob, 
the  God  of  our  fathers  [he  begins  with  the  points  of 
agreement]  hath  glorified  his  Son  Jesus,  whom  ye  de- 
livered up,  and  denied  him  in  the  presence  of  Pilate, 
when  he  was  determined  to  let  him  go.  But  ye  de- 
nied the  Holy  One  and  the  Just,  and  desired  a  mur- 
derer to  be  granted  unto  you ;  and  killed  the  Prince 
of  life,  whom  God  hath  raised  from  the  dead;  whereof 
we  are  witnesses."  Great  principles  and  arguments 
couched  in  literal  facts  versus  abstract  principles, 
terms,  and  theories.  ''And  his  name,  through  faith 
in  his  name,  hath  made  this  man  strong,  whom  ye 
Bee  and  know :  yea,  the  faith  which  is  by  him  hath 


THE     MASTER'S     MODEL.  259 

given  him  this  perfect  soundness  in  the  presence  of 
you  all."  Plain  dealing  that.  It  would  be  well  to 
strike  another  chord  of  mutual  sympathy  noAV  between 
people  and  preacher,  lest  the  repulsion  should  drive 
them  away  from  'him.  Peter  understood  that,  and 
continues  in  great  tenderness,  "And  now,  brethren,  I 
wot  that  through  ignorance  ye  did  it,  as  did  also  your 
rulers.''  But  still  ye  did  not  defeat  the  purpose  of  God 
concerning  the  sacrifice  of  his  Son.  "But  those  things 
which  God  before  had  shewed  by  the  mouth  of  all  his 
prophets,  that  Christ  should  suffer,  he  hath  so  fulfilled. 
Repent  ye,  therefore,  and  ^e  converted,  that  your  sins 
may  be  blotted  out,  when  the»  times  of  refreshing  shall 
come  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord.  And  he  shall 
send  Jesus  Christ,  which  before  was  preached  unto 
you;  whom  the  heaven  must  receive  till  the  times 
of  restitution  of  all  things,  which  God  hath  spoken 
by  the  mouth  of  all  his  holy  prophets  since  the  world 
began.  For  Moses  truly  said  unto  the  fathers,  A 
prophet  shall  the  Lord  your  God  raise  up  unto  you 
of  your  brethren,  like  unto  me ;  him  shall  ye  hear  in 
all  things  whatsoever  he  shall  say  unto  you.  And  it 
shall  come  to  pass,  that  every  soul  which  will  not 
hear  that  prophet  shall  be  destroyed  from  among  the 
people.  Yea,  and  all  the  prophets  from  Samuel,  and 
those  that  follow  after,  as  many  as  have  spoken,  have 
likewise  foretold  of  these  days."  Would  it  not  be 
well  to  strike  another  chord  of  mutual  sympathy,  and 
draw  the  people  a  little  closer  to  the  preacher?  0, 
yes;  the  preacher,  though  his  earnest  zeal  swept  like 


1^60  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

Niagara,  had  a  heart  full  of  love,  and  understood  his 
business,  and  continues,  "Ye  are  the  children  of  the 
prophets,  and  of  the  covenant  which  God  made  with 
our  fathers,  saying  unto  Abraham,  And  in  thy  seed 
shall  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  be  blessed.  Unto 
you  first,  God  having  raised  up  his  Son  Jesus,  sent 
him  to  bless  you,  in  turning  away  every  one  of  you 
from  his  iniquities." 

Though  he  dealt  so  plainly,  he  held  the  people  to 
the  last;  but  "the  priests,  and  the  captain  of  the 
temple,  and  the  Sadducees,  came  upon  them,  being 
grieved  that  they  taught  the  people,  and  preached 
through  Jesus  the  resurrection  from  the  dead.  And 
they  laid  hands  on  them,  and  put  them  in  hold  till 
the  next  day;  for  it  was  now  eventide."  "HoAvbeit, 
many  of  them  which  heard  the  word  believed."  Ah, 
that  sermon  did  execution  among  the  sinners,  and  yet 
our  reporter  do  n't  make  a  great  noise  over  it,  as 
though  it  was  an  extraordinary  thing.  It  was  just 
what  their  faith  in  tlie  mighty  Gospel  anticipated. 

Well,  Dr.  Luke,  how  "many  of  them  which  heard 
the  word  believed?" 

"  The  number  of  the  men  was  about  five  thousand." 

Amazing  !  Why,  in  these  days  of  modern  improve- 
ments, if  we  get  one  hundred  converted  during  a 
month's  hard  labor,  we  think  we  have  done  a  won- 
derful business,  and  publish  the  news  all  over  the 
continent. 

The  next  day  Peter  and  John,  accompanied  by 
their  living  literal  illustration  of  Gospel  power,  stood 


THE    MASTER'S    MODEL.  2G1 

before  the  Snnhedrim,  and  Peter,  in  his  defense, 
preached  the  Gospel  to  them.  ^'When  they  had  set 
them  in  the  midst,''  says  Dr.  Luke,  "  they  asked,  By 
what  power,  or  by  what  name  have  ye  done  this? 

^'  Then  Peter,  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  said  unto 
them.  Ye  rulers  of  the  people,  and  elders  of  Israel, 
if  we  this  day  be  examined  of  the  good  deed  done  to 
the  impotent  man" — he  '^pleaded  guilty"  to  a  ''good 
deed" — "by  what  means  he  is  made  whole:  be  it 
known  unto  you  all,  and  to  all  the  people  of  Israel, 
that  by  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth,  whom 
ye  crucified,  whom  God  raised  from  the  dead,  even  by 
him  doth  this  man  stand  here  before  you  whole.  This 
is  the  stone  which  was  set  at  naught  of  your  builders, 
which  is  become  the  head  of  the  corner.  Neither  is 
there  salvation  in  any  other ;  for  there  is  none  other 
name  under  heaven  given  among  men,  whereby  we 
must  be  saved.  Now,  when  they  saw  the  boldness  of 
Peter  and  John,  and  perceived  that  they  were  un- 
learned and  ignorant  men,  they  marveled" — if  they 
were  so  ignorant,  why  did  not  some  of  their  learned 
doctors  put  in  a  rejoinder,  that  would  confound  and 
silence  them? — "and  they  took  knowledge  of  them, 
that  they  had  been  with  Jesus."  Yes,  and  they  were 
graduates  in  the  school  of  Christ.  "And  beholding 
the  man  which  w^as  healed  standing  with  them,  they 
could  say  nothing  against  it."  Finding  that  they  had 
so  bad  a  cause,  they  commanded  the  sherifi"  to  take 
the  men  out  of  court,  till  the  judges  could  hold  a  con- 
sultation; and  when  they  had  gone  "aside  out  of  the 


262  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

council,  tliey  conferred  among  themselves,  saying, 
What  shall  we  do  with  these  men?  for  that  indeed  a 
notable  miracle  hath  been  done  by  them,  is  manifest 
to  all  them  that  dwell  in  Jerusalem ;  and  we  can  not 
deny  it.  But  that  it  spread  no  further  among  the 
people,  let  us  straightly  threaten  them,  that  they 
speak  henceforth  to  no  man  in  this  name.  And  they 
called  them,  and  commanded  them  not  to  speak  at  all 
nor  teach  in  the  name  of  Jesus.  But  Peter  and  John 
answered  and  said  unto  them,  Whether  it  be  right  in 
the  sight  of  God  to  hearken  unto  you  more  than  unto 
God,  judge  ye.  For  we  can  not  but  speak  the  things 
which  we  have  seen  and  heard.  So,  when  they  had 
further  threatened  them,  they  let  them  go,  finding 
nothing  how  they  might  punish  them,  because  of  the 
people :  for  all  men  glorified  God  for  that  which  was 
done.  For  the  man  was  above  forty  years  old  on 
whom  this  miracle  of  healing  was  showed." 

The  preacher's  clearness,  in  both  the  specimens  just 
given,  shines  out  luminously  in  his  terms,  proposi- 
tions, arguments,  proofs — in  the  directness  of  his 
appeals  of  application — every  thing.  His  earnestness 
was  that  of  a  devoted  hero  Avho  had  a  life  to  lay  down 
for  his  cause,  not  on  the  altar  of  ambition,  but  on  the 
altar  of  human  redemption,  on  which  his  divine  Mas- 
ter, "who  for  the  joy  that  was  set  before  him" — the 
joy  of  saving  perishing  sinners — poured  out  his  heart's 
blood ;  no  worldly  honors  taken  into  the  account,  but 
love,  all-conquering  love  to  God  and  man,  constituted 
the    motive    power    that   carried    him   with  resistless 


THE    MASTER'S    MODEL.  2t)8 

energy  over  the  combined  forces  of  earth  and  hell , 
and  yet  his  earnestness,  in  the  impetuosity  of  its  flow, 
did  not  destroy  his  naturalness^  and  his  Uteralness 
stands  out  in  every  word.  He  did  not  need  in  that 
case  to  multiply  literal  figures  to  arrest  attention,  or 
to  illustrate  his  subject ;  he  had  a  literal  figure  in  the 
person  of  the  happy  man,  healed  of  his  impotency, 
standing  up  before  his  audience,  a  living  illustration 
of  Gospel  power — St.  Paul  was  fond  of  such  illustra- 
tions, and  called  them  ''living  epistles  known  and 
read  of  all  men" — but  his  facts  were  of  the  most 
definite,  personal,  literal  character — nothing  abstract, 
nor  ambiguous,  nor  redundant ;  and  his  wise  adapta- 
Hon  of  truth  to  the  hearers  is  seen  in  the  effect  pro- 
duced. He  struck  the  chords  of  mutual  sympathy,  to 
begin  with,  and  restruck  them  as  often  as  necessary, 
to  draw  the  people  within  reach  of  his  Gospel  sword, 
and  also  strikingly  exemplified  what  I  have  called  the 
laws  of  direct  appeal  to  the  heart  and  of  direct 
approach  to  Christ — no  irrelevancy,  no  unnecessary 
circumlocution,  nor  formality.  With  means  perfectly 
adapted  to  the  end,  he  plied  them,  by  the  power  "of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  with  definiteness,  promptness,  and 
efficiency.  He  was  a  preacher  after  the  model  of  his 
Master. 

"  And  Peter  and  John,  after  their  release,  went 
to  their  own  company,  and  reported  all  that  the 
chief  priests  and  elders  had  said  unto  them."  The 
company  of  disciples  immediately  engaged  in  a 
prayer  meeting,  and  returned  ^thanks  to    God.     Dr. 


264  THE    MODEL    PKEACHER. 

Luke  lias  reported  a  specimen  of  their  prayers, 
which  is  marked  by  the  same  clearness,  earnest- 
ness, naturalness,  literalness,  and  appropriateness 
which   characterized  their  preaching. 

Naturalness  in  prayer  is  not  the  familiar  collo- 
quial style  common  in  addressing  an  equal  or  an 
inferior.  Such  a  style  would  be  very  unnatural  in 
pleading  for  the  life  of  a  criminal  at  the  bar,  or 
in  presenting  a  petition  to  a  sovereign,  and  such 
addressed  to  God  grates  very  irreverently  on  my 
ear.  Judah's  style,  in  pleading  his  cause  before 
the  governor  of  Egypt,  was  doubtless  perfectly 
natural,  and  yet  it  was  very  different  from  his  ad- 
dress to  his  father. 

The  law  of  naturalness  which  I  have  in  part  illus- 
trated, applying  to  every  kind  of  address  to  God  or 
men,  does  not  tie  us  down  to  any  set  of  tones  or 
forms.  Its  manifestations  vary  with  the  heart's  emo- 
tions, and  are  regulated  by  the  law  of  appropriate- 
ness, indicated  by  the  circumstances  of  the  occasion, 
and  the  instincts  of  common-sense. 

Carefully  examine  this  specimen  of  prayer  :  "  And 
when  they  heard  that,  they  lifted  up  their  voice  tc 
God  with  one  accord,  and  said.  Lord,  thou  art  God, 
which  hast  made  heaven,  and  earth,  and  the  sea,  and 
all  that  in  them  is  :  who,  by  the  mouth  of  thy  serv- 
ant, hast  said.  Why  did  the  heathen  rage,  and  the 
people  imagine  vain  things  ?  The  kings  of  the  earth 
stood  up,  and  the  rulers  were  gathered  together 
against  the  Lord,  and  against  his  Christ.     For  of  a 


THE     MASTER'S     MODEL.  2G5 

truth  against  thy  holy  chikl  Jesus,  whom  thou  hast 
anointed,  both  Herod,  and  Pontius  Pilate,  with  the 
Gentiles,  and  the  people  of  Israel,  were  gathered  to- 
gether, for  to  do  whatsoever  thy  hand  and  thy  coun- 
sel determined  before  to  be  done.  And  now.  Lord, 
behold  their  threatenings :  and  grant  unto  thy  serv- 
ants, that  with  all  boldness  they  may  speak  thy  word, 
by  stretching  forth  thine  hand  to  heal ;  and  that  signs 
and  wonders  may  be  done  by  the  name  of  thy  holy 
child  Jesus.  And  when  they  had  prayed,  the  place  was 
shaken  where  they  were  assembled  together ;  and  they 
were  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  they  spake  the 
word  of  God  with  boldness." 

No  abstract  generalizing  in  that  prayer;  no  stereo- 
typed quotations,  thrown  in  to  fill  up  or  to  ornament 
the  performance;  no  prayer  for  every  body  in  general 
and  nobody  in  particular;  no  stifi"  formality.  It  was 
profoundly  reverent,  yet  simple,  natural,  clear,  earn- 
est, literal,  and  well-timed  in  every  particular,  and 
brought  down  the  power.  In  a  revival  I  always  put 
the  new  converts  to  praying  in  public  as  early  as 
practicable ;  because,  having  learned  no  form  of 
prayer,  and  having  adopted  no  stiff,  unnatural,  inap- 
propriate modes,  they  come  right  to  the  subject,  and 
in  all  simplicity  pray  with  personal  definiteness  for 
their  brothers,  and  sisters,  and  friends,  and  ask  di- 
rectly for  ''whatsoever  they  desire." 

I  once  conducted  a  revival  in  Virginia,  and  organ- 
ized a  large  class,  in  a  new  field,  Avhere  there  was  not 
one  old  member  to  furnish  a  stereotyped  formula  for 


266  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

the  young  soldiers  to  work  bj,  and  hence  they  all 
talked  and  prayed  in  appropriate  simplicity,  which 
seldom  ever  failed  to  wake  my  heart's  emotions,  and 
waked  up  all  saints  and  sinners  who  attended  our 
meetings.  It  is  a  great  thing  to  have  fathers  and 
mothers  in  Israel,  if  they  can  truthfully  be  called 
"  nursing  fathers  and  mothers,"  "who  can  develop  the 
growing  powers  of  the  babes  in  Christ,  and  not  wrap 
them  up.  like  Egyptian  mummies  in  the  swaddling 
bands  of  lifeless  formxS  and  stiff,  unnatural  modes. 

An  old  fellow,  by  the  name  of  Ratcliff,  was  con- 
verted at  a  meeting  I  held  once,  and  when  he  went  to 
class  the  first  time,  never  having  heard  any  one  speak 
in  class,  and  being  called  on  at  the  opening  of  the  meet- 
ing to  state  his  experience,  he  arose  and  told  it  just 
as  it  was,  and  sat  dov;n.  The  next  one  that  spoke 
closed  in  the  old  way,  "  Kemember  me  at  a  throne  of 
grace  when  it  goes  well  with  you,  that  I  may  be  kept 
faithful  till  death,  and  at  last  receive  a  crown  of 
life."  Brother  Ratcliff  listened  attentively  till  the  last 
sentence  closed,  and  sprang  to  his  feet,  saying,  "I 
declare,  brothers  and  sisters,  I  forgot  that,  but  any  of 
you,  when  it  goes  well  with  you,  please  to  remember 
me  in  your  prayers,  that  I  may  be  kept  faithful  till 
death,  and  also  get  a  crown  of  life." 

You  observe,  my  brother,  that  while  the  essential 
elements  of  pov^-er  embraced  in  the  Gospel  model 
for  preaching,  are  definite,  and  invariably  success- 
ful in  the  results  of  their  application,  they  are  so 
general  as  not  to  tie  us  down  to  any  set  of  forms, 


THE     MASTER'S     MODEL.  267 

but  are  like  the  Gospel  itself,  equally  well  adapted  to 
all  ages,  all  countries,  all  languages,  and  all  the  nat- 
ural and  moral  varieties  of  human  kind.  Nor  do 
they  require  that  all  persons  should  pursue  the  same 
plan  for  presenting  and  enforcing  truth.  One  may 
be  naturally  adapted  to  excel  in  argument,  another  in 
exhortation,  another  in  illustration.  All  the  diversity 
of  gifts  found  in  the  Church,  both  in  the  ministry 
and  in  the  laity,  may,  in  all  their  variety,  be  directed 
and  effectively  applied  by  this  model. 

St.  Paul,  to-day,  would  be  "made  all  things  to  all 
men,  that  by  all  means  he  might  save  some,"  with  the 
same  facility  of  adaptation  that  he  exhibited  eighteen 
hundred  years  ago. 

The  great  Teacher,  who  always  adapted  his  illus- 
trations to  the  occasion  and  to  the  condition  of  his 
hearers,  would  to-day,  on  the  same  principles  which 
characterize  his  model,  illustrate  his  sermons  by  every 
striking,  familiar  object  of  these  times — railroads, 
steamships,  telegraphs — every  familiar  thing  which 
he  could  lay  under  contribution  to  convey  Gospel 
truth  to  the  heart,  and  fix  it  on  the  memory  of  his 
hearers. 

The  Gospel,  with  the  divinely-instituted  mode  of 
proclaiming  it,  should  produce  the  same  saving  effect 
to-day  that  it  did  v.dien  preached  by  St.  Peter. 

The  miracle-working  power  of  that  day  gave  them 
an  advantage  that  we  do  not  enjoy;  but  the  cumiula- 
tive  fruits  of  the  effectual  working  of  the  Spirit  in  the 
salvation  of   successive  millions  ought   to    make   up 


268  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

fully  for  our  deficiency  in  that  particular,  for  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  raising  dead  souls,  cre- 
ating them  anew  in  Christ  Jesus,  is  much  greater  than 
the  power  necessary  to  raise  dead  bodies.  Jesus,  on 
one  occasion,  sent  out  his  apostles  two  and  two,  on  a 
missionary  tour,  and  when  on  their  return,  in  present- 
ing their  report,  they  spoke  of  the  miracle-working 
power  which  they  had  been  enabled  to  exercise, 
saying,  "Even  the  devils  are  subject  unto  us;"  to 
which  he  replied,  "Rejoice  not  at  this,  but  rather  re- 
joice that  yournames  are  written  in  heaven" — teaching 
them  that  to  have  their  names  written  in  heaven  was 
much  more  a  matter  of  rejoicing  than  the  power  to 
work  miracles.  The  regenerating,  sanctifying,  seal- 
ing power  of  the  Spirit  is  as  available  now  as  then. 
The  power  to  work  miracles  was  but  incidental  to 
this,  and  would  still  be  continued  as  manifestly 
as  ever,  were  it  necessary  to  the  great  purpose  of 
saving  the  world;  but  their  perpetuation  visibly  to  the 
observation  of  men  would  have  classed  them  long  ago 
with  other  marvelous  things,  as  the  result  of  some 
uniform  law  of  nature,  and  would  thus  have  defeated 
the  very  object  for  which  they  were  instituted.  But 
all  the  exhaustless  resources  of  Gospel  grace,  in  all 
their  saving  power,  are  just  as  available  now  for  the 
salvation  of  the  wor^d,  as  they  were  under  the 
preaching  of  St.  Paul. 

If  you  will  take  the  Savior's  model  for  preaching, 
my  brother,  and  carefully  review  the  history  of  the 
Chtirch,  you  will  find  that  the  success  of  God's  min- 


THE    MASTER'S    MODEL.  269 

isters  has  always  been    proportionate  to   the  degree 
of  their  comformitj  to  it. 

Why  was  it  that  Whitefield  had  such  power  over 
the  masses,  and  preached  the  Gospel  with  such  suc- 
cess ?  Because,  as  a  man  of  great  natural  force,  and 
called  of  God  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  he  con- 
formed to  the  Master's  model.  He  had  clearness — 
a  clear  conception  of  his  points,  arguments,  and 
illustrations,  and  hence  presented  them  clearly.  He 
had  earnestness — a  soul  of  fire,  thrilled  with  "  the 
burden  of  the  Lord"  to  perishing  sinners,  and  the 
tidings  of  mercy  for  stricken  hearts.  He  had  natu- 
ralness. He  used  to  say  that  he  talked  to  the  people 
in  their  "market  language."  He  had  literalness. 
He  brought  great  Gospel  principles  to  light  through 
literal  facts  and  figures,  and  had  but  little  to  do  with 
metaphysics  in  the  pulpit.  He  wisely  adapted  the 
truth  to  the  condition  of  his  hearers. 

The  same  is  true  of  Wesley.  He  had  greater 
clearness  than  Whitefield,  equal  earnestness  of  soul, 
though  less  physical  force  and  vehemence  of  manner. 
He  also  possessed  an  equal  degree  of  naturalness  and 
literalness.  Wesley  used  many  literal  figures  of  illus- 
tration, but  more  literal  facts.  Metaphysical  abstrac- 
tions in  the  pulpit  were  out  of  the  question  in  his 
ministry.  His  wise  adaptation  of  truth  to  the  occa- 
sion and  circumstances  of  his  hearers  was  a  leading 
feature  of  his  preaching. 

Summerfield  is  another  example.  That  is  the 
secret  of  Spurgeon's  success.     "  0,  but  is  he  not  a 


270  THE    MODEL    P  E  E  A  C  H  E  R  . 

higli-tonecl  Calvinist?  And  docs  he  not  run  into  a 
great  many  extravagant  eccentricities  of  style?"  I 
admit  all  that,  and  reply.  If  vrith  these  defects  his 
approximate  conformity  to  the  Savior's  model  give 
him  so  much  pulpit  power,  Avhat  would  he  not  accom- 
plish Avere  his  conformity  so  perfect  as  to  remove  all 
these  defects?  * 

James  Caughey  is  another  example.  "  Ah,  but  he 
can't  preach."  Yet  his  efforts  in  trying  to  preach 
embrace  the  essential  elements  of  power  contained  in 
the  Savior's  model ;  and  if  they  secure  such  wonderful 
success  in  soul-saving  by  the  ministry  of  a  man  who 
"  can't  preach,"  as  no  other  man  in  modern  days  can 
claim,  Avliat  might  not  some  of  our  learned  D.  D.'s, 
who  can  preach,  accomplish  if  they  but  conformed  to 
the  Gospel  model  ? 

Henry  Yf  ard  Beecher  is  another  example.  Though 
not  so  successful  in  saving  sinners  as  the  others  I 
have  mentioned,  yet  he  conforms  to  the  model  sufiS- 
ciently  to  give  him  extraordinary  povrer  over  the 
masses,  and  is,  I  believe,  accomplishing  a  good 
work. 

John  B.  Gough,  as  a  temperance  lecturer,  is  a  good 
illustration  of  the  truth  of  my  position.  Listen  to 
one  of  his  master-speeches,  and  you  will  say,  "Clear- 
ness, earnestness,  naturalness,  literalness,  and  appro- 
priateness constitute  the  essential  and  sole  elements 
of  his  power." 

A  great  many  preachers  have  a  considerable  degree 
of  clearness,  and  a  still  greater  degree  of  earnestness, 


THE     MASTER'S     MODEL.  271 

and  hence  have  great  power,  and  accomplish  much 
good,  for  these  are  essential  elements  of  power,  as 
before  shown;  but  they,  being  defective  in  naturalness 
and  literalness,  wield  perhaps  but  half  the  power  for 
good  their  capacity  and  position  v/ould  warrant, 
were  their  naturalness  and  literalness  equal  to  their 
clearness  and  earnestness.  Some  have  a  degree  of 
all  these  characteristics  of  the  great  model,  and  in  the 
same  proportion  they  have  power.  Any  single  one 
of  those  elements  will  give  a  man  power;  all  of  them, 
in  any  considerable  degree,  wiJl  constitute  what  is 
called  "a  man  of  mark."  I  suppose  that  means  a 
man  who  is  '•  making  his  mark  ''  in  the  world. 

These  rules  do  not  apply  exclusively  to  ministers 
alone,  but  to  witnesses  of  Jesus  in  all  their  va- 
riety. 

It  is  said  that  a  celebrated  minister  prepared  and 
preached  a  course  of  sermons  against  infidelity  for  the 
purpose  specially  of  convincing  and  bringing  over  to 
Christianity  an  intelligent  infidel  neighbor,  Avho  was  a 
regular  attendant  at  his  Church.  Just  after  the  close 
of  the  said  series  of  sermons,  the  infidel  professed  to 
experience  religion,  and  the  preacher  vfas  anxious  to 
knov/  which  of  his  sermons  did  the  execution. 

Soon  after  the  new  convert,  in  relating  his  expe- 
rience, said:  ''The  instrument  God  was  pleased  to  use 
for  my  awakening  and  conversion  vras  not  the  preach- 
ing of  those  sermons  against  infidelity,  but  the  simple 
remark  of  a  poor  old  colored  Avoman.  In  going  down 
the  steps  of  the  church  one  night,  seeing  that  the 


272  THE    MODEL    P  II  E  A  C  II  E  11 . 

poor  old  woman  was  lame,  I  gave  her  mj  hand,  and 
assisted  her. 

''  She  looked  up  at  mo  with  a  peculiar  expression 
of  grateful  pleasure,  saying,  '  Thank  you,  sir.  Do 
you  love  Jesus,  my  blessed  Savior  V 

"  I  was  dumb.     I  could  not  answer  that  question. 

"  She  said  'Jesus,  my  blessed  Savior,'  vrith  so  much 
earnest  confidence,  that  I  could  not  deny  that  she  had 
a  blessed  Savior,  and  felt  ashamed  to  confess  that  I 
did  not  love  him.  I  could  not  dismiss  the  subject 
from  my  mind,  and  the  more  I  thought  of  it  the  clear- 
er my  convictions  became  that  the  old  colored  sister 
had  a  Jesus,  a  blessed  Savior ;  and  I  thought  of  how 
kind  a  Savior  he  must  be  to  impart  such  joy  and  com- 
fort to  such  poor,  neglected  creatures  as  she  was ;  and 
I  soon  began  to  weep  over  my  base  ingriititude  in  de- 
nying and  rejecting  such  a  Savior.  I  earnestly  sought 
that  Savior,  and  found  him ;  and  now  I  can  sny,  I  do 
love  Jesus,  my  blessed  Savior." 

In  that  simple  remark  of  the  old  colored  woman 
there  was  clearness  of  faith,  a  joyous  confidence  that 
shook  the  foundation  of  the  infidel's  refuge  of  lies. 
It  had  earnestness  in  it.  The  old  sister  was  very 
grateful  for  a  small  favor,  and  very  solicitous  about 
the  soul  of  the  kind  stranger.  You  may  be  sure  there 
was  naturalness  in  it ;  and  as  for  its  literalness,  the  ad- 
dress was  personal,  the  question  was  personal,  her  tes- 
timony to  having  a  Jesus  her  Savior  was  personal  and 
real — nothing  indefinite  or  abstract  about  it;  and  the 
Holy  Spirit  gave  the  whole  an  appropriateness  of  appli 


THE     MASTER'S     MODEL.  273 

cation  which  knocked  the  underpinning  out  of  his  infi- 
del fort,  and  the  walls  that  withstood  the  "great  guns" 
of  ihe  preacher  tumbled  down  as  suddenly  as  the  walls 
of  Jericho  at  the  blast  of  the  rams'  horns. 

George  W.,  a  strong  Cincinnati  lawyer,  attended 
a  revival  meeting  held  by  Rev.  H.  Hayes,  a  friend  of 
mine,  for  the  avowed  purpose  of  showing  up  the  fal- 
lacy of  revealed  religion,  but  before  the  meeting 
closed  George  v/as  powerfully  converted  to  God. 

Brother  Hayes  had  fired  his  Gospel  gun  at  him  a 
number  of  times,  and  thought  he  had  hit  him.  All 
were  desirous  to  know  the  instrumentality  God  had 
used  in  his  conversion. 

There  was  at  the  meeting  a  man  called  ^'Bud 
Thomas,''  Vrdio  was  but  one  remove  above  an  idiot,  but 
was  very  pious,  and  lived  round  among  the  people. 

George,  in  relating  the  circumstances  of  his  awak- 
ening, said  :  "  I  attended  this  meeting  several  days  as 
a  confirmed  infidel,  but  at  the  love-feast,  when  I  heard 
'Bud  Thomas'  talk  with  so  much  clearness  and  confi- 
dence about  his  mother  in  heaven,  and  how  she  used 
to  pray  for  her  poor,  afilicted  boy,  and  how  much  he 
loved  Jesus,  and  of  his  bright  hopes  of  meeting  his 
dear  mother  in  heaven,  I  wept,  and  I  saw  in  his  sim- 
ple experience  the  truth  and  beauty  of  religion  with 
such  clearness  that  my  infidelity  went  like  the  mist  of 
the  morning  before  the  rising  sun." 

I  mention  these  cases  simply  to  show, 

1.  That,  while  the  Holy  Spirit  often  uses  the  most 
simple  means,  he  always  uses  appropriate  means,  con- 


274  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

tainiug  some  or  ail  of  the  elements  of  power  so  mani- 
fest in  the  model  of  Jesus. 

2.  That,  -while  literary  education  is  all-important, 
there  are  yqyj  many  who,  in  their  literary  wisdom, 
overlook  the  simple,  essential  elements  of  power  on 
which  their  success  depends. 

8.  That,  while  Avillful  ignorance  is  a  sin,  the  most 
illiterate  should  not  be  discouraa;ed  in  tryini^  to  be  a 
witness  for  Jesus,  and  a  worker  together  with  God  in 
the  great  business  of  saving  the  world,  seeing  he  often 
uses  the  weak  things  of  this  vrorld  to  confound  the 
mighty  by  the  wonderful  success  with  v/hich  he  crowns 
their  simple  efforts. 

It  was  my  design  to  furnish  you  vrith  a  specimen 
sermon  from  each  of  the  most  celebrated  preachers 
of  different  ages ;  but  I  novr  find  that  my  space 
will  not  admit  of  many  entire  sermons,  and  I  must 
content  myself  with  giving  a  few  specimen  extracts 
from  the  sermons  of  some  of  the  most  remarkable 
preachers  of  different  periods  of  the  history  of  the 
Church,  to  shov*^  that,  in  a  considerable  degree,  they 
conformed  to  the  Master's  model,  and  to  establish  at 
least  a  clear  presumption  that  their  success  was  con- 
sequent on  that  fact,  and  proportionate  to  the  degree 
of  their  conformxity  to  it. 


PULPIT    ORATOPvS  275 


LETTET.    XV. 

PULPIT      0  il  A  T  0  R  S  . 

My  Dear  Brotiiei;, — If  vaj  space  ^vould  admit  o. 
it,  I  Tvoiild  like  to  insert  a  specimen  sermon  from  each 
of  the  most  celebrated  preachers  of  ancient  and  mod- 
ern times,  that  you  miglit  see  that  thcj  all,  in  a  con- 
siderable degree,  conformed  to  the  Savior's  model, 
and  to  establish  a  clear  presumption,  too,  that  their 
success  depended  on  that  fact,  and  was  proportionate 
to  the  degree  of  their  conformity  to  it,  but  my  space 
will  only  alloyy'  me  to  present  a  fevr  extracts  from  a 
small  number  of  the  most  distinguished  preachers. 
(There  is  a  work,  in  two  octavo  volumes,  by  Rev. 
Henry  C.  Fish,  published  by  M.  W.  Dodd,  New  York, 
entitled  ^'Masterpieces  of  Pulpit  Eloquence,"  vvdiich 
contains  one  sermon  each  from  the  greatest  preach- 
ers, ancient  and  m.odern,  from  which  I  select  a  few 
extracts.)     I  will  begin  with 

c  H  r.  Y  s  o  s  T  o  M  . 

"John,  called,  for  at  least  the  last  twelve  centurie?, 
Ohri/sosiom — golden-mouthed — v\Ti3  the  brightest  or- 
nament of  the  ancient  Greek  Churches.  He  was  born 
probably  about  the  year  347,  at  Antioch,  in  Syria, 
Avhere  he  spent  most  of  his  public  life,  and  died  on 
the  14th  of  September,  407,  with  his  favorite  expres- 


276  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

sion  on  his  lips,  '  God  he  jjvaised  for  every  thing,* 
For  overpowering  popular  eloquence  Chrysostom 
had  no  equal  among  the  fathers.  He  has  been  called 
the  Homer  of  orators.  Ferrarius  quotes  Suidas,  as 
saying  that  Chrjsostom  had  a  tongue  floiuing  like  the 
Nile:  and  when  he  was  banished,  his  people  said  that 
'it  were  better  that  the  8iin  should  cease  to  shine, 
than  that  his  mouth  should  be  shut.'  Gibbon's  testi- 
mony to  his  eloquence — Decline  and  Fall  of  the 
Roman  Empire,  period  398-403 — is  worthy  of  partic- 
ular note,  especially  considering  its  source.  Speak- 
ing of  the  various  works  thn.t  remain  of  this  father, 
the  principal  of  which  are  about  one  thousand  ser- 
mons or  homilies,  he  says  they  authorize  the  critics 
to  appreciate  his  genuine  merit :  and  that  they  unani- 
mously attribute  to  him  '  the  free  command  of  an 
elegant  and  copious  language;  the  judgment  to  con- 
ceal the  advantages  which  he  derived  from  the  knowl- 
edge of  rhetoric  and  philosophy;  an  inexhaustible 
fund  of  metaphors  and  similitudes,  of  ideas  and  im- 
ages, to  vary  and  illustrate  the  most  familiar  topics ; 
the  happy  art  of  engaging  the  passions  in  the  service 
of  virtue;  and  of  exposing  the  folly  as  well  as  the 
turpitude  of  vice,  almost  vfith  the  truth  and  spirit  of 
a  dramatic  representation.'  " 

See  how  the  testimony  of  Gibbon  bears  on  the  fact 
which  I  assume — that  Chrysostom  conformed  in  a 
most  efficient  degree  to  his  Master's  model.  Such 
testimony  is  the  more  valuable  in  this  case,  from  tho 
fact,  that  you  can  have  but  a  very  limited  idea  of  a 


PULPIT    ORATORS,  277 

man's  preaching  from  a  portion  of  a  single  sermon. 
This  remark  will  apply  to  all  whom  I  may  try  to  rep- 
resent by  the  specimens  I  may  furnish  from  their 
published  sermons.  I  presume  no  man's  pulpit  power 
can  be  fully  represented  by  a  printed  sermon,  and 
especially  when  it  has  been  handed  down  for  ages, 
through  different  languages. 

The  subject  of  the  sermon,  from  which  I  now  pre- 
sent an  extract,  is 

EXCESSIYE       GRIEF      AT     THE       DEATH      OF      FRIENDS. 

"  But  I  would  not  have  you  to  be  ignorant,  brethren,  concerning 
them  -which  are  asleep,  that  ye  sorrow  not."     1  Thess.  iv,  13. 

>K  ♦  ^  >\^  r^  r^  ^ 

We  ought  here,  at  the  outset,  to  inquire  why,  when 
be  is  speaking  of  Christ,  he  employs  the  word  death; 
but  when  he  is  speaking  of  our  decease  he  calls  it 
deep^  and  not  death.  For  he  did  not  say,  Concerning 
them  that  are  dead  :  but  what  did  he  say  ?  Concern- 
ing them  that  are  asleep.  And  again,  Even  so  them 
also  which  sleep  in  Jesus  will  God  bring  with  him. 
He  did  not  say,  Them  that  have  died.  Still  again, 
We  who  are  alive  and  remain  unto  the  coming  of  the 
Lord  shall  not  go  before  them  that  sleep.  Here,  too, 
he  did  not  say.  Them  that  are  dead;  but  a  third  time 
bringing  the  subject  to  their  remembrance,  he  for  the 
third  time  called  death  a  sleep.  Concerning  Christ, 
however,  he  did  not  speak  thus  :  but  how?  For  if  we 
believe  tha.t  Jesus  died.  He  did  not  say,  Jesus  slept, 
but  he  died.     Why  now  did  he  use  the  term  death  in 


278  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

reference  to  Christ,  but  in  reference  to  us  the  term 
sleej)^  For  it  was  not  casually,  or  negligently,  that 
lie  employed  this  expression,  but  he  had  a  wise  and 
great  purpose  in  so  doing.  In  speaking  of  Christ,  he 
said  death,  so  as  to  confirm  the  fact  that  Christ  had 
actually  suffered  death;  in  speaking  of  us,  he  said 
sleej:),  in  order  to  impart  consolation.  For  where  a 
resurrection  had  already  taken  place,  he  mentions 
death  with  plainness ;  but  where  the  resurrection  is 
still  a  matter  of  hope,  he  says  sleej:^,  consoling  us  by 
this  very  expression,  and  cherishing  our  valuable 
hopes.  For  he  who  is  only  asleep  will  surely  awake; 
and  death  is  no  more  than  a  long  sleep. 

Say  not,  a  dead  man  hears  not,  nor  speaks,  nor 
sees,  nor  is  conscious.  It  is  just  so  with  a  sleeping 
person.  If  I  may  speak  somewhat  paradoxically, 
even  the  soul  of  a  sleeping  person  is  in  some  sort 
asleep  ;  but  not  so  the  soul  of  a  dead  man  ;  that  is 
awake. 

But  you  say,  a  dead  man  experiences  corruption, 
and  becomes  dust  and  ashes.  And  what  then,  beloved 
hearers?  For  this  very  reason  we  ought  to  rejoice. 
For  when  a  man  is  about  to  rebuild  an  old  and  totter- 
ino;  house,  he  first  sends  out  its  occupants,  then  tears 
it  down,  and  rebuilds  anew  a  more  splendid  one. 
This  occasions  no  grief  to  the  occupants,  but  rather 
joy  ;  for  they  do  not  think  of  the  demolition  which 
they  see,  but  of  the  house  which  is  to  come,  though 
not  yet  seen.  When  God  is  about  to  do  a  simflar 
work,  he   destroys  our  body,  and  removes   the  soul 


PULPIT    OEATORS.  279 

which  was  dwelling  in  it  as  from  some  house,  that  ho 
may  build  it  anew  and  more  splendidly,  and  again 
bring  the  soul  into  it  wdth  greater  glory.  Let  us  not, 
therefore,  regard  the  tearing  down,  but  the  splendor 
which  is  to  succeed. 

If,  again,  a  man  has  a  statue  decayed  by  rust  and 
age,  and  mutilated  in  many  of  its  parts,  he  breaks  it 
up  and  casts  it  into  a  furnace,  and  after  the  melting, 
he  receives  it  again  in  a  more  beautiful  form.  As 
then  the  dissolving  in  the  furnace  w^as  not  a  destruc- 
tion, but  a  renewing  of  the  statue,  so  the  death  of  our 
bodies  is  not  a  destruction,  but  a  renovation.  When, 
therefore,  you  see  us  in  a  furnace,  our  flesh  flowing 
away  to  corruption,  dwell  not  on  that  sight,  but  wait 
for  the  recasting.  And  be  not  satisfied  with  the  ex- 
tent of  this  illustration,  but  advance  in  your  thoughts 
to  a  still  higher  point ;  for  the  statuary,  casting  into 
the  furnace  a  brazen  image,  does  not  furnish  you  in 
its  place  a  golden  and  undecaying  statue,  but  again 
makes  a  brazen  one.  God  does  not  thus  ;  but  casting 
in  a  mortal  body  formed  of  clay,  he  returns  to  you  a 
golden  and  immortal  statue ;  for  the  earth,  receiving 
a  corruptible  and  decaying  body,  gives  back  the  same, 
incorruptible  and  undecaying.  Look  not,  therefore, 
on  the  corpse,  lying  with  closed  eyes  and  speechless 
lips,  but  on  the  man  that  is  risen,  that  has  received 
glory  unspeakable  and  amazing,  and  direct  your 
thoughts  from  the  present  sight  to  the  future  hope. 

But  do  you  miss  his  society,  and  therefore  lament 
and  mourn  ?     Now  is  it  not  unreasonable,  that,  if  you 


280  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

should  nave  given  your  daughter  in  marriagCj  and  her 
husband  shouhl  take  her  to  a  distant  country  and 
should  there  enjoy  prosperit}^,  you  would  not  think 
the  circumstance  a  calamity,  but  the  intelligence  of 
their  prosperity  would  console  the  sorrow  occasioned 
by  her  absence  ;  and  yet  here,  while  it  is  not  a  man, 
nor  a  fellow-servant,  but  the  Lord  himself  who  has 
taken  your  relative,  that  you  should  grieve  and 
lament  ? 

And  how  is  it  possible,  you  ask,  not  to  grieve,  since 
I  am  only  a  man?  Nor  do  I  say  that  you  should  not 
grieve  :  I  do  not  condemn  dejection,  but  the  intensity 
of  it.  To  be  dejected  is  natural;  but  to  be  overcome 
by  dejection  is  madness,  and  folly,  and  unmanly 
w^eakness.  You  may  grieve  and  weep,  but  give  not 
way  to  despondency,  nor  indulge  in  complaints. 
Give  thanks  to  God,  who  has  taken  your  friend,  that 
you  have  the  opportunity  of  honoring  the  departed 
one,  and  of  dismissing  him  with  becoming  obsequies. 
If  you  sink  under  depression,  you  withhold  honor 
from  the  departed,  you  displease  God  who  has  taken 
him,  and  you  injure  yourself;  but  if  you  are  grateful, 
you  pay  respect  to  him,  you  glorify  God,  and  you 
benefit  yourself.  Weep,  as  wept  your  Master  over 
Lazarus,  observing  the  just  limits  of  sorrow,  which  it 
is  not  proper  to  pass.  Thus  also  said  Paul,  I  would 
not  have  you  to  be  ignorant  concerning  them  which 
are  asleep,  that  ye  sorrow  not  as  others  who  have  no 
hope.  Grieve,  says  he ;  but  not  as  the  Greek,  who  has 
no  hope  of  a  resurrection,  who  despairs  of  a  future  life. 


PULPIT    ORATORS.  281 

Believe  me,  I  am  ashamed  and  blush  to  see  unbe- 
coming groups  of  women  pass  along  the  mart,  tearing 
their  hair,  cutting  their  arms  and  cheeks — and  all 
this  under  the  eyes  of  the  Greeks.  For  what  will 
they  not  say  ?  What  will  they  not  utter  concerning 
us  ?  Are  these  the  men  who  philosophize  about  a 
resurrection  ?  Indeed !  How  poorly  their  actions 
agree  with  their  opinions  !  In  words,  they  philoso- 
phize about  a  resurrection :  but  the}^  act  just  like 
those  who  do  not  acknowledge  a  resurrection.  If 
they  fully  believed  in  a  resurrection,  they  would  not 
act  thus;  if  they  had  really  persuaded  themselves 
that  a  deceased  friend  had  departed  to  a  better  state, 
they  would  not  thus  mourn.  These  things,  and  more 
than  these,  the  unbelievers  say  when  they  hear  those 
lamentations.  Let  us  then  be  ashamed,  and  be  more 
moderate,  and  not  occasion  so  much  harm  to  our- 
selves and  to  those  who  are  looking  on  us. 

For  on  what  account,  tell  me,  do  you  thus  weep  for 

one   departed?     Because  he  was   a  bad  man?     You 

ought  on  that  very  account  to  be  thankful,  since  the 

occasions  of  wickedness  are  novv"  cut  off.     Because  he 

was  good  and  kind  ?     If  so,  you   ought  to  rejoice ; 

since  he  has  been  soon  removed,  before  wickedness 

had  corrupted  him :  and  he  has  gone  away  to  a  world 

where  he  stands  ever  secure,  and  there  is  no  room 

even  to  mistrust  a  change.     Because  he  was  a  youth  ? 

For  that,  too,  praise  Him  that  has  taken  him,  because 

he  has  speedily  called  him  to  a  better  lot.     Because 

he  was   an  aged  man?     On  this  account,  also,  give 

24 


282  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

thanks  and  glorify  Him  that  has  taken  him.  Be 
ashamed  of  your  manner,  of  burial.  The  singing  of 
psalms,  the  prayers,  the  assembling  of  the  spiritual 
fathers  and  brethren — all  this  is  not  that  you  may 
weep,  and  lament,  and  afflict  yourselves,  but  that  you 
may  render  thanks  to  Ilim  who  has  taken  the  de- 
parted. For  as  when  men  are  called  to  some  high 
office,  multitudes  with  praises  on  their  lips  assemble 
to  escort  them  at  their  departure  to  their  stations,  so 
do  all  with  abundant  praise  join  to  send  forward,  as  to 
greater  honor,  those  of  the  pious  who  have  departed. 
Death  is  rest,  a  deliverance  from  the  exhausting 
labors  and  cares  of  this  vv'orld.  When,  then,  thou 
seest  a  relative  departing,  yield  not  to  despondency ; 
give  thyself  to  reflection;  examine  thy  conscience; 
cherish  the  thous-ht  that  after  a  little  while  this  end 

o 

awaits  thee  also.  Be  more  considerate;  let  another's 
death  excite  thee  to  salutary  fear ;  shake  off  all  indo- 
lence ;  examine  your  past  deeds ;  quit  your  sins,  and 
commence  a  happy  change. 

We  differ  from  unbelievers  in  our  estimate  of  things. 
The  unbeliever  surveys  the  heaven  and  worships  it, 
because  he  thinks  it  a  divinity ;  he  looks  to  the  earth 
and  makes  himself  a  servant  to  it,  and  longs  for  the 
things  of  sense.  But  not  so  with  us.  We  survey  tiiC 
heaven,  and  admire  him  that  made  it;  for  we  believe 
it  not  to  be  a  god,  but  a  work  of  God.  I  look  on  the 
whole  creation,  and  am  led  by  it  to  the  Creator.  He 
looks  on  wealth,  niul  longs  for  it  with  earnest  desire; 
I  look  on  wealtli,  and  contemn  it.     ITe  sees  poverty, 


PULPIT     OKATORS.  283 

and  laments;  I  see  poverty,  and  rejoice.  I  see  things 
in  one  liglit;  he  in  another.  Just  so  in  regard  to 
death.  He  sees  a  corpse,  and  thinks  of  it  as  a 
corpse ;  I  see  a  corpse,  and  behold  sleep  rather  than 
death.  And  as  in  regard  to  books,  both  learned  per- 
sons and  unlearned  see  them  with  the  same  eyes,  but 
not  with  the  same  understanding — for  to  the  unlearned 
the  mere  shapes  of  letters  appear,  while  the  learned 
discover  the  sense  that  lies  within  those  letters — so  in 
respect  to  affairs  in  general,  we  all  see  what  takes 
place  with  the  same  eyes,  but  not  with  the  same  un- 
derstanding and  judgment.  Since,  therefore,  in  all 
other  things  we  differ  from  them,  shall  we  agree  with 
them  in  our  sentiments  respecting  death  ? 

Consider  to  whom  the  departed  has  gone,  and  take 
comfort.  He  has  gone  where  Paul  is,  and  Peter,  and 
the  vfhole  company  of  the  saints.  Consider  how  he 
shall  arise,  with  what  glory  and  splendor.  Consider, 
that  by  mourning  and  lamenting  thou  canst  not  alter 
the  event  which  has  occurred,  and  that  thou  wilt  in 
the  end  injure  thyself. 


BISHOP      LATIMER. 

Hugh  Latimer  was  born  about  the  year  1480,  and 
on  the  16th  of  October,  1555,  was  burned  alive  at  the 
stake,  by  the  decree  of  bloody  Mary,  uttering  those 
memorable  and  truly-prophetic  words  to  his  compan- 
ion in  the  Barnes, '^  Be  of  good  comfort ,  brother  Hid- 
ley,  and  jjlay  the  7nan  ;  we  shall  this  day  light  such  a 


•284  THE     MODEL     PEEACnER. 

candle,  hy  God's  grace,  in  England^  as,  I  trusty  net  r 
shall  he  2^y^t  outr 

His  sermons  were  not  learned,  and  many  of  his  an- 
ecdotes and  illustrations  would  not  suit  the  modern 
taste.  But  he  always  insisted  on  the  cardinal  doc- 
trine, that  justification  is  not  by  works,  and  that 
Christ,  by  the  one  only  oblation  of  his  body,  sancti- 
fied forever  those  that  believe.  In  courage,  too,  Lat- 
imer has  never  been  excelled. 

As  a  fowerfid  preacher  Latimer  has  been  rarely 
equaled,  and  perhaps  never  excelled.  His  enemies, 
^'though  swelling,  blown  full,  and  puffed  up,  like 
^sop's  frog,  with  envy  and  malice  against  him,"  as 
Bacon  has  it,  returned  from  hearing  him  with  the  words 
of  exaggeration,  "Never  man  spake  like  this  man." 
His  style  is  lively  and  cheerful,  and  though  in  his  ser- 
mons we  meet  with  m.any  quaint,  odd,  and  coarse 
things,  yet  we  every-where  discover  the  traces  of  his 
homely  wit,  his  racy  manner,  his  keen  observation,  his 
manly  freedom,  his  playful  temper,  and  his  simplicity 
and  sincerity  of  heart.  Says  a  Avell-known  English 
divine,  "  If  a  combination  of  sound  Gospel  doctrine, 
plain  Saxon  language,  boldness,  liveliness,  directness, 
and  simplicity,  can  make  a  preacher,  few,  I  suspect, 
have  ever  equaled  old  Latimer." 

It  was  customary  with  the  preachers  of  Latimer's 
('av,  oftentimes,  to  seize  upon  some  singular  topic  to 
engage  the  attention  of  their  hearers,  which  may  ac- 
count for  the  odd  title  of  the  sermon  which  follows. 
It  was  preached  in  1548,  when  Latimer  must  have 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  285 

been  nearly  seventy  years  of  age,  and,  perhaps,  in  no 
one  of  his  discourses — of  which  the  very  rare  extant 
editions  contain  forty-five — does  the  great  martyr- 
preacher  appear  to  better  advantage. 

SERMON    OF    THE    PLOW. 

'*  For  whatsoever  things  were  written  aforetime,  were  written  for 
mr  learning."     Rom.  xv,  4. 

All  things  that  are  written  in  God's  book,  in  the 
Bible  book,  in  the  book  of  the  holy  Scripture,  are 
written  to  be  our  doctrine.  I  told  you  in  my  first 
sermon,  honorable  audience,  that  I  proposed  to  de- 
clare unto  you  two  things  :  the  one,  what  seed  should 
be  sow^n  in  God's  field,  in  God's  plow-land;  and  the 
other,  who  should  be  the  sowers. 

That  is  to  say,  what  doctrine  is  to  be  taught  in 
Christ's  Church  and  congregation,  and  what  men 
should  be  the  teachers  and  preachers  of  it.  The  first 
part  I  have  told  you  in  the  three  sermons  past,  in 
which  I  have  essaj^ed  to  set  forth  my  plow,  to  prove 
what  I  could  do.  And  now  I  shall  tell  you  who  are 
the  plowers ;  for  God's  w^ord  is  seed  to  be  sown  in 
God's  field — that  is,  the  faithful  congregation — and  the 
preacher  is  the  sower.  And  it  is  said  in  the  Gospel : 
^'He  that  soweth,"  the  husbandman,  the  plowman, 
"  went  forth  to  sow  his  seed."  So  that  a  preacher  is 
compared  to  a  plowman,  as  it  is  in  another  place: 
"  No  man  that  putteth  his  hand  to  the  plow,  and  look- 
eth  back,  is  apt  for  the  kingdom  of  God."  Luke  ix. 
That  it  is  to  say,  let  no   preacher  be  negligent  in 


2SG  THE    MODEL    PREACnEIl, 

doing  Lis  office.  This  is  one  of  the  places  that  haa 
been  racked,  as  I  told  you  of  racking  Scriptures,  and 
I  have  been  one  of  them  myself  that  have  racked  it — 
I  cry  God  mercy  for  it;  and  have  been  one  of  them 
that  have  believed,  and  have  expounded  it  against  re- 
ligious persons  that  .would  forsake  their  order  which 
they  had  professed,  and  would  go  out  of  their  clois- 
ter ;  whereas,  indeed,  it  relates  not  to  monkery,  nor 
makes  at  all  for  any  such  matter;  but  it  is  directly 
spoken  of  diligent  preaching  of  the  word  of  God. 
For  preaching  of  the  Gospel  is  one  of  God's  ploW' 
works,  and  the  preacher  is  one  of  God's  plowmen. 

Be  not  ofiended  with  my  similitude,  in  that  I  com- 
pare preaching  to  the  labor  and  work  of  plowing,  and 
the  preacher  to  a  plowman ;  ye  may  not  be  offended 
with  this,  my  similitude,  though  I  have  been  unjustly 

slandered  by  some  persons  for  such  thing 

But  as  preachers  must  be  wary  and  circumspect,  that 
they  give  not  any  just  occasion  to  be  slandered  and 
ill-spoken  of  by  the  hearers,  so  the  auditors  must  not 
be  offended  without  cause.  For  heaven  is  in  the 
Gospel  likened  unto  a  mustard  seed:  it  is  compared, 
also,  to  a  piece  of  leaven;  and  Christ  saith,  that  at 
the  last  day  he  will  come  like  a  thief;  and  what  dis- 
honor is  this  to  God  ?  Or  what  derogation  is  this  to 
heaven?  You  should  not  then,  I  say,  be  offended 
with  my  similitude,  because  I  liken  preaching  to  a 
i:)lowman's  labor,  and  a  prelate  to  a  plowman.  But 
now  you  will  ask  me  whom  I  call  a  prelate?  A  pro- 
late is  that  man,  whatsoever  he  is,  tliat  has  a  flock  to 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  287 

be  taught  by  him ;  whosoever  has  any  spiritual  charge 
in  the  faithful  congregation,  and  whosoever  he  is  that 
has  a  cure  of  souls. 

Well  may  the  preacher  and  the  plowman  be  likened 
together ;  first,  for  their  labor  at  all  seasons  of  the 
year ;  for  there  is  no  time  of  the  year  in  which  the 
plowman  has  not  some  special  work  to  do ;  as  in  my 
country  in  Leicestershire,  the  plowman  has  a  time  to 
set  forth,  and  to  assay  his  plow,  and  other  times  for 
other  necessary  works  to  be  done.  And  they  also 
may  be  likened  together  for  the  diversity  of  works 
and  variety  of  offices  that  they  have  to  do.  Eor  as 
the  plowman  first  sets  forth  his  plov>%  and  then  tills 
the  land,  and  breaks  it  in  furrows,  and  sometimes 
ridges  it  up  again ;  and  at  another-  time  harrows  it 
and  clotteth  it,  and  sometimes  dungs  it  and  hedges  it, 
digs  it  and  weeds  it,  and  makes  it  clean ;  so  the  pre- 
late, the  preacher,  has  many  diverse  offices  to  do.  He 
has  first  a  busy  work  to  bring  his  parishioners  to  a 
right  faith,  as  Paul  calleth  it;  and  not  a  swerving 
faith,  but  to  a  faith  that  embraces  Christ,  and  trusts 
to  his  merits;  a  lively  faith,  a  justifying  faith;  a 
faith  that  makes  a  man  righteous,  without  respect 
of  w^orks;  as  you  have  it  very  well  declared  and  set 
forth  in  the  homily.  He  has  then  a  busy  work,  I  say, 
to  bring  his  flock  to  a  right  faith,  and  then  to  confirm 
them  in  the  same  faith.  Now  casting  them  down 
with  the  law,  and  with  threatcnings  of  God  for  sin ; 
now  ridging  them  up  again  with  the  Gospel,  and  v/ith 
the  promises  of  God's  favor.     Now  weeding  them  by 


288  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

telling  them  their  faults,  and  making  them  forsake 
sin;  now  clotting  them,  bj  breaking  their  stony  hearts 
and  by  making  them  supple-hearted,  and  making  them 
to  have  hearts  of  flesh ;  that  is,  soft  hearts,  and  apt 
for  doctrine  to  enter  in.  Now  teaching  to  know  God 
rightly,  and  to  know  their  duty  to  God  and  their 
neighbors.  Now  exhorting  them  when  they  know 
their  duty,  that  they  do  it,  and  be  diligent  in  it ;  so 
that  they  have  a  continual  work  to  do.  Great  is 
their  business,  and  therefore  great  should  be  their 
hire.  They  have  great  labors,  and  therefore  they 
ought  to  have  good  livings,  that  they  may  commodi- 
ously  feed  their  flock ;  for  the  preaching  of  the  word 
of  God  unto  the  people  is  called  meat;  Scripture 
calls  it  meat;  not  strawberries,  that  come  but  once  a 
year,  and  tarry  not  long,  but  are  soon  gone ;  but  it  is 
meat,  it  is  not  dainties.  The  people  must  have  meat 
that  is  familiar  and  continual,  and  daily  given  unto 
them  to  feed  upon.  Many  make  a  strawberry  of  it, 
ministering  it  but  once  a  year;  but^such  do  not  the 
office  of  good  prelates.  For  Christ  saith,  "Who 
think  you  is  a  Avise  and  a  faithful  servant  ?  He  that 
giveth  meat  in  due  time."  So  that  he  must,  at  all 
times  convenient,  preach  diligently ;  therefore  saith 
he,  "Who,  think  ye,  is  a  faithful  servant?"  He 
speaks  as  though  it  were  a  rare  thing  to  find  such  a 
one,  and  as  though  he  should  say,  there  are  but  few 
of  them  to  be  found  in  the  world.  And  how  few  of 
them  there  are  throughout  this  realm  that  give  meat 
to  their  flock  as  they  should  do,  the  visitors  can  best 


PULPIT     OPvATORS.  289 

tell.  Too  fev»',  too  few,  the  more  is  the  pity,  and 
never  so  few  as  now. 

By  this  then  it  appears  that  a  prelate,  or  any  that 
has  the  cure  of  souls,  must  diligently  and  substantially 
work  and  labor.  Therefore,  saith  Paul  to  Timothy, 
^'  He  that  desireth  to  have  the  office  of  a  bishop,  or  a 
prelate,  that  man  desireth  a  good  work.''  Then  if  it  is 
a  good  work,  it  is  work;  you  can  make  but  a  work  of  it. 
It  is  God's  work,  God's  plciw,  and  that  plow  God  would 
have  still  going.  Such  then  as  loiter  and  live  idly 
are  not  good  prelates,  or  ministers.  And  of  such  as 
do  not  preach  and  teach,  and  do  their  duties,  God 
saith  by  his  prophet  Jeremy,  ''Cursed  be  the  man 
that  doth  the  work  of  God  fraudulently,  guilefully, 
or  deceitfully;"  some  books  have  it '^  negligently  or 
elackly."  How  many  such  prelates,  how  many  such 
bishops,  Lord,  for  thy  mercy,  are  there  now  in  Eng- 
land? And  what  shall  we  in  this  case  do?  shall  we 
company  with  them  ?  0  Lord,  for  thy  mercy  !  shall 
we  not  company  with  them  ?  0  Lord,  whither  shall 
we  flee  from  them  ?  But  "  cursed  be  he  that  doth  the 
work  of  God  negligently  or  guilefully."  A  sore  word 
for  them  that  are  negligent  in  discharging  their  office, 
or  have  done  it  fraudulently;  for  that  is  the  thing 
which  makes  the  people  ill. 

But  it  must  be  true  that  Christ  saith,  '•  Many  are 

called,  but  few  are  chosen."    Matt.  xxii.     Here  I  have 

an  occasion  by  the  way  to  say  somewhat  unto  you ; 

yea,  for  the  place  that  I  alleged  unto  you  before  out 

of  Jeremy,   the    forty- eighth    chapter.     And    it  was 

25 


290  THE     MODEL    PREACHER. 

spoken  of  a  spiritual  work  of  God,  a  work  that  was 
commanded  to  be  done,  and  it  was  of  shedding  blood, 
and  of  destroying  the  cities  of  Moab.  For,  saith  he, 
"Cursed  be  he  that  keepeth  back  his  sword  from 
shedding  of  blood."  As  Saul,  when  he  kept  back  the 
sword  from  shedding  of  blood,  at  the  time  he  was  sent 
against  Amalek,  was  refused  of  God  for  being  disobe- 
dient to  God's  commandment,  in  that  he  spared  Agag 
the  king.  So  that  place  of  the  prophet  was  spoken 
of  them  that  went  to  the  destruction  of  the  cities  of 
Moab,  among  which  there  was  one  called  E^ebo,  which 
was  much  reproved  for  idolatry,  superstition,  pride, 
avarice,  cruelty,  tyranny,  and  hardness  of  heart ;  and 
these  sins  were  plagued  of  God  and  destroyed. 

Now  what  shall  we  say  of  these  rich  citizens  of 
London?  what  shall  I  say  of  them?  Shall  I  call 
them  proud  men  of  London,  malicious  men  of  Lon- 
don, merciless  men  of  London  ?  No,  no,  I  may  not 
say  so ;  they  will  be  offended  with  me  then.  Yet 
must  I  speak.  For  is  there  not  reigning  in  London 
as  much  pride,  as  much  covetousness,  as  much  cru- 
elty, as  much  oppression,  and  as  much  superstition,  as 
there  was  in  Nebo  ?  Yes,  I  think,  and  much  more 
too.  Therefore,  I  say,  Repent,  0  London  !  repent, 
repent!  Thou  hearest  thy  faults  told  thee;  amend 
them,  amend  them.  I  think,  if  Nebo  had  had  the 
preaching  that  thou  hast,  they  would  have  converted. 
And  you,  rulers  and  officers,  bo  wise  and  circumspect, 
look  to  your  charge,  and  see  you  do  your  duties ; 
and  rather  be  glad  "to  amend  your  ill  living  than  bo 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  291 

angry  when  you  are  warned  or  told  of  your  fault. 
What  ado  was  there  made  in  London  at  a  certain  man, 
because  he  said — and  indeed  at  that  time  on  a  just 
cause — ^'Burgesses,"  quoth  he,  "nay,  butterflies!" 
What  ado  there  was  for  that  word  !  and  yet  would 
that  they  were  no  worse  than  butterflies !  Butterflies 
do  but  their  nature ;  the  butterfly  is  not  covetous,  is 
not  greedy  of  other  men's  goods ;  is  not  full  of  envy 
and  hatred,  is  not  malicious,  is  not  cruel,  is  not  mer- 
ciless. The  butterfly  glories  not  in  her  own  deeds, 
nor  prefers  the  traditions  of  men  before  God's  word ; 
it  commits  not  idolatry,  nor  worships  false  gods.  But 
London  can  not  abide  to  be  rebuked ;  such  is  the  na- 
ture of  men.  If  they  are  pricked,  they  will  kick ;  if 
they  are  galled,  they  will  wince ;  but  yet  they  will  not 
amend  their  faults,  they  will  not  be  ill  spoken  of. 
But  how  shall  I  speak  well  of  them  ?  If  you  would 
be  content  to  receive  and  follow  the  word  of  God,  and 
favor  good  preachers,  if  you  could  bear  to  be  told  of 
your  fjiults,  if  you  could  amend  when  you  hear  of 
them,  if  you  could  be  glad  to  reform  that  which  is 
amiss ;  if  I  might  see  any  such  inclination  in  you, 
that  you  would  leave  ofl"  being  merciless,  and  begin  to 
be  charitable,  I  would  then  hope  well  of  you,  I  would 
then  speak  well  of  you.  But  London  vv-as  never  so 
ill  as  it  is  now.  In  times  past  men  were  full  of  pity 
and  compassion,  but  now  there  is  no  pity;  for  in  Lon- 
don their  brother  shall  die  in  the  streets  for  cold,  he 
shall  lie  sick  at  the  door,  and  perish  there  for  hunger. 
Was   there  ever  more   unmercifulness    in  Nebo  ?     I 


292  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

think  not.  In  times  past,  when  any  rich  man  died  in 
London,  they  were  wont  to  help  the  poor  scholars  of 
the  universities  with  exhibitions.  Vv'hen  any  man 
died,  they  would  bequeath  great  sums  of  money 
toward  the  relief  of  the  poor.  AYhen  I  was  a  scholar 
in  Cambridge  myself,  I  heard  very  good  report  of 
London,  and  knew  many  that  had  relief  from  the  rich 
men  of  London ;  but  now  I  hear  no  such  good  report, 
and  yet  I  inquire  of  it,  and  hearken  for  it ;  but  now 
charity  is  waxen  cold,  none  helps  the  scholar  nor  yet 
the  poor.  And  in  those  days,  what  did  they  when 
they  helped  the  scholars  ?  They  maintained  and 
gave  them  livings  who  were  very  Papists,  and  pro- 
fessed the  Pope's  doctrine :  and  now  that  the  knowl- 
edge of  God's  word  is  brought  to  light,  and  many 
earnestly  study  and  labor  to  set  it  forth,  now  hardly 
any  man  helps  to  maintain  them. 

0,  London,  London!  repent,  repent;  for  I  think 
God  is  more  displeased  with  London  than  ever  he  was 
with  the  city  of  Nebo.  Repent,  therefore;  repent, 
London,  and  remember  that  the  same  God  liveth  now 
that  punished  Nebo,  even  the  same  God,  and  none 
other;  and  he  will  punish  sin  as  well  now  as  he  did 
then :  and  he  will  punish  the  iniquity  of  London  as 
well  as  he  did  them  of  Nebo.  Amend,  therefore. 
And  you  that  are  prelates,  look  well  to  your  office: 
for  right  prelating  is  busy  laboring,  and  not  lording. 
Therefore,  preach  and  teach,  and  let  your  plow  be  go- 
ing. Ye  lords,  I  say,  that  live  like  loiterers,  look 
well  to  your  office — the  plow  is  your  office  and  charge. 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  293 

If  you  live  idle  and  loiter,  you  do  not  your  duty,  you 
follow  not  your  vocation ;  let  your  plow,  therefore,  be 
going,  and  not  cease,  that  the  ground  may  bring  forth 
fruit. 

But  now  methinks  I  hear  one  say  unto  me,  "  Wot 
ye  what  you  say?  Is  it  a  work?  Is  it  a  labor? 
How,  then,  hath  it  happened  that  we  have  had  for  so 
many  hundred  years  so  many  unpreaching  prelates, 
lording  loiterers,  and  idle  ministers?"  You  would 
have  me  here  to  make  answer,  and  to  show  the  cause 
thereof.  Nay,  this  land  is  not  for  me  to  plow — it  is 
too  stony,  too  thorny,  too  hard  for  me  to  plow.  They 
have  so  many  things  that  make  for  them,  so  many 
things  to  say  for  themselves,  that  it  is  not  for  my 
weak  team  to  plow  them.  They  have  to  say  for  them- 
selves long  customs,  ceremonies,  and  authority, 
placing  in  Parliament,  and  many  things  more.  And  I 
fear  this  land  is  not  yet  ripe  to  be  plowed ;  for,  as  the 
saying  is,  it  lacketh  weathering ;  it  lacketh  weathering, 
at  least  it  is  not  for  me  to  plow.  For  what  shall  I  look 
for  among  thorns,  but  pricking  and  scratching  ?  What 
among  stones,  but  stumbling?  What,  I  had  almost 
said,  among  serpents,  but  stinging?  But  this  much  I 
dare  say,  that  since  lording  and  loitering  hath  come 
up,  preaching  hath  come  down,  contrary  to  the  apos- 
tles' time  ;  for  they  preached  and  lorded  not,  and  now 
they  lord  and  preach  not.  For  they  that  are  lords 
T.'ill  ill  go  to  plow :  it  is  no  meet  office  for  them ;  it  is 
not  seeming  for  their  estate.  Thus  came  up  lording 
loiterers — thus  crept  in  unpreaching  prelates,  and  so 


294  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

have  tliey  long  continuetl.  For  how  many  unlearned 
prelates  have  we  now  at  this  clay!  And  no  marvel; 
for  if  the  plowmen  that  now  are  were  made  lords, 
they  would  give  over  plowing;  they  would  leave  off 
their  labor  and  fall  to  lording  outright,  and  let  the 
plow  stand :  and  then  both  plows  not  walking,  noth- 
ing should  be  in  the  commonweal  but  hunger.  For 
ever  since  the  prelates  were  made  lords  and  nobles, 
their  plow  standeth — there  is  no  work  done — the  peo- 
ple starve.  They  hawk,  they  hunt,  they  card,  they 
dice,  they  pastime  in  their  prelacies  with  gallant  gen- 
tlemen, with  their  dancing  minions,  and  with  their 
fresh  companions,  so  that  plowing  is  set  aside.  And 
by  the  lording  and  loitering,  preaching  and  plowing 
are  clean  gone.  And  thus,  if  the  plowmen  of  the 
country  were  as  negligent  in  their  office  as  prelates 
are,  we  should  not  long  live,  for  lack  of  sustenance. 
And  as  it  is  necessary  to  have  this  plowing  for  the 
sustentation  of  the  body,  so  must  we  have  also  the 
other  for  the  satisfaction  of  the  soul,  or  else  we  can 
not  live  long  spiritually.  For  as  the  body  wastes  and 
consumes  away  for  lack  of  bodily  meat,  so  the  soul 
pines  away  for  default  of  spiritual  meat.  But  there 
are  two  kinds  of  inclosing,  to  hinder  both  these  kinds 
of  plowing;  the  one  is  an  inclosing  to  hinder  the 
bodily  plowing,  and  the  other  to  hinder  the  holy  day 
plowing — the  Church  plowing. 

The  bodily  plowing  is  taken  in  and  inclosed  for  the 
gain  of  individuals.  For  what  man  will  let  go  or 
diminish  his  private  advantage  for  a  commonwealth? 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  295 

And  who  will  sustain  any  damage  for  public  benefit? 
The  other  plow,  also,  no  man  is  diligent  to  set  for- 
ward, and  no  man  will  hearken  to  it.  But  to  hinder 
it  all  men's  ears  are  open ;  yea,  and  there  are  a  great 
many  of  this  kind  of  plowmen,  who  are  A^ery  busy, 
and  would  seem  to  be  very  good  workmen.  I  fear 
some  are  rather  mock-gospelers  than  faithful  plow- 
men. I  know  many  myself  that  profess  the  Gospel, 
and  live  nothing  thereafter.  I  knovf  them,  and  have 
been  conversant  with  some  of  them.  I  know  them, 
and  I  speak  it  with  a  heavy  heart,  there  is  as  little 
charity  and  good  living  in  them  as  in  any  others,  ac- 
cording to  that  which  Christ  said  in  the  Gospel  to  the 
great  number  of  people  that  followed  him;  as  though 
they  had  an  earnest  zeal  for  his  doctrine,  whereais, 
indeed,  they  had  it  not.  "  Ye  follow  me,"  saith  he, 
"not  because  ye  have  seen  the  signs  and  miracles 
that  I  have  done,  but  because  ye  have  eaten  the  bread 
and  refreshed  your  bodies;  therefore  ye  follow  me." 
So  that  I  think  many  nowadays  profess  the  Gospel 
for  the  living's  sake,  not  for  the  love  they  bear  to 
God's  word.  But  they  that  will  be  true  plowmen 
must  work  faithfully  for  God's  sake,  for  the  edifying 
of  their  brethren.  And  as  diligently  as  the  husband- 
man ploweth  for  the  sustentation  of  the  body,  so  dili- 
gently must  the  prelates  and  ministers  labor  for  the 
feeding  of  the  soul;  both  the  plows  must  still  be  go- 
ing, as  most  necessary  for  man.  And  wherefore  are 
magistrates  ordained,  but  that  the  tranquillity  of  the 
commonweal  may  be  confirmed,  limiting  both  plows  ? 


296  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

But  now  for  the  fault  of  unpreacliing  prelates,  me- 
thinks  I  could  guess  what  might  bo  said  for  excusing 
of  them.  They  are  so  troubled  with  lordly  living — 
they  are  so  placed  in  palaces,  couched  in  courts,  ruf- 
fling in  their  rents,  dancing  in  tlieir  dominions,  bur- 
dened with  embassages,  pampering  themselves  like  a 
monk  that  maketh  his  jubilee,  and  moiling  in  their  gay 
manors  and  mansions,  and  so  troubled  with  loitering 
in  their  lordships,  that  they  can  not  attend  it.  They 
are  otherwise  occupied;  some  in  the  King's  matters, 
some  are  embassadors,  some  of  the  privy  council,  some 
to  furnish  the  court,  some  are  lords  of  the  Parliament, 
some  are  presidents,  and  some  controllers  of  mints. 

"VYell,  well;  is  this  their  duty?  Is  this  their  office? 
Is  this  their  calling?  Should  we  have  ministers  of 
the  Church  to  be  controllers  of  the  mints?  Is  this  a 
meet  oflke  for  a  priest  that  hath  cure  of  souls?  Is 
this  his  charge?  I  would  here  ask  one  question:  I 
would  fain  know  who  controlleth  the  devil  at  home  in 
his  parish,  while  he  controlleth  the  mint?  If  the 
apostles  might  not  leave  the  office  of  preaching  to  the 
deacons,  shall  one  leave  it  for  minting?  I  can  not 
tell  you ;  but  the  saying  is,  that  since  priests  have 
been  minters,  money  hath  been  worse  than  it  was 
before.  And  they  say  that  the  evilncss  of  money 
,  hath  made  all  thinsrs  dearer.  And  in  this  behalf  I 
must  speak  to  England.  "Hear,  my  country,  Eng- 
land/' as  Paul  said  in  his  first  epistle  to  the  Corinth- 
ians, the  sixth  chapter  —  for  Paul  v/as  no  sitting 
bishop,  but  a  walking  and  a  preaching  bishop — but 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  297 

>Yheii  lie  Y>'ent  from  tliem  he  left  there  behind  him  the 
plow  going  still ;  for  he  -wrote  unto  them,  and  rebuked 
them  for  going  to  law,  and  pleading  their  causes  be- 
fore heathen  judges — "Is  there,"  saith  he,  -'among 
you  no  wise  man,  to  be  an  arbitrator  in  matters  of 
judgment?  What!  not  one  of  all  that  can  judge  be- 
tween brother  and  brother;  but  one  brother  goeth  to 
law  with  another,  and  that  before  heathen  judges? 
Appoint  those  for  judges  that  are  most  abject  and 
vile  in  the  congregation ;"  which  he  speaks  to  rebuke 
them;  "For,"  saith  he,  "I  speak  it  to  3^ our  shame." 
So,  England,  I  speak  it  to  thy  shame.  Is  there  never 
-ar  nobleman  to  be  a  lord-president  but  it  must  be  a 
prelate?  Is  there  never  a  wise  man  in  the  realm  to 
be  a  controller  of  the  mint?  I  spccik  it  to  your 
shame.  If  there  be  never  a  wise  man,  make  a  v/ater- 
bearer,  a  tinker,  a  cobbler,  a  slave,  a  page,  controller 
of  the  mint :  make  a  mean  gentleman,  a  groom,  a 
yeoman,  or  a  poor  beggar,  lord-president. 

Thus  I  speak,  not  that  I  would  have  it  so,  but  to 
your  shame,  if  there  is  never  a  gentleman  meet  or 
able  to  be  lord-president.  For  why  are  not  the  no- 
blemen and  young  gentlemen  of  England  so  brought 
up  in  knowledge  of  God,  and  in  learning,  that  they 
maybe  able  to  execute  offices  in  the  commonweal? 
The  King  has  a  great  many  wards,  and  I  trow  there 
is  a  court  of  wards;  why  is  there  not  a  school  for  the 
wards,  as  well  as  there  is  a  court  for  their  lands? 
Why  are  they  not  set  in  schools  where  they  may 
learn  ?     Or  why  are  they  not  sent  to  the  universities, 


298  THE     MODEL     PEEACHER. 

that  they  may  be  able  to  serve  the  King  ^vhen  they 
come  to  age?  If  the  wards  and  young  gentlemen 
Avere  well  brought  up  in  learning,  and  in  the  knowl- 
edge of  God,  they  would  not,  when  they  come  to  age, 
so  much  give  themselves  to  other  vanities.  And  if 
the  nobility  be  well  trained  in  godly  learning,  the  peo- 
ple would  follow  the  same  train ;  for  truly,  such  as 
the  noblemen  are  such  will  the  people  be.  And  now, 
the  only  cause  why  noblemen  are  not  made  lord- 
presidents,  is  because  they  have  not  been  brought  up 
in  learnino;. 

Therefore,  for  the  love  of  God,  appoint  teachers 
and  schoolmasters,  you  that  have  charge  of  youth  ; 
and  give  the  teachers  stipends  worthy  their  pains, 
that  they  may  bring  them  up  in  grammar,  in  logic,  in 
rhetoric,  in  philosophy,  in  the  civil  law,  and  in  that 
which  I  can  not  leave  unspoken,  of  the  word  of  God. 
Thanks  be  unto  God,  the  nobility  otherwise  is  very 
well  brought  up  in  learning  and  godliness,  to  the 
great  joy  and  comfort  of  England  ;  so  that  there  is 
now  good  hope  in  the  youth,  that  we  shall  another 
day  have  a  flourishing  commonweal,  considering  their 
godly  education.  Yea,  and  there  are  already  noblemen 
enough,  though  not  so  many  as  I  would  wish,  able  to 
be  lord-presidents,  and  wise  men  enough  for  tlie  mint. 
And  as  unmeet  a  thing  it  is  for  bishops  to  be  lord- 
presidents,  or  priests  to  be  minters,  as  it  was  for 
the  Corinthians  to  plead  matters  of  variance  before 
heathen  judges.  It  is  also  a  slander  to  the  noble- 
men, as  though  they  lacked  wisdom  and  learning  to 


PULPIT    ORATORS.  299 

be  able  for  such  offices,  or  else  were  no  men  of  con- 
science, or  else  were  not  meet  to  be  trusted,  and  able 
for  such  offices.  And  a  prelate  has  a  charge  and 
cure  otherwise ;  and  therefore  he  can  not  discharge 
his  duty  and  be  ^a  lord-president  too.  For  a  presi- 
lentship  requireth  a  whole  man  ;  and  a  bishop  can 
not  be  two  men.  A  bishop  has  his  office,  a  flock  to 
teach,  to  look  unto  ;  and  therefore  he  can  not  meddle 
with  another  office,  which  alone  requires  a  whole 
man ;  he  should  therefore  give  it  over  to  whom  it  is 
meet,  and  labor  in  his  own  business  ;  as  Paul  writes 
to  the  Thessalonians,  "  Let  every  man  do  his  own 
business,  and  follow  his  calling."  Let  the  priest 
preach,  and  the  nobleman  handle  the  temporal  mat- 
ters. Moses  was  a  marvelous  man,  a  good  man : 
Moses  was  a  wonderful  man,  and  did  his  duty,  being 
a  married  man :  we  lack  such  as  Moses  was.  Well, 
I  would  all  men  would  look  to  their  duty,  as  God 
hath  called  them,  and  then  we  should  have  a  flour- 
ishing Christian  commonweal. 

And  now  I  would  ask  a  strange  question :  who 
is  the  most  diligent  bishop  and  prelate  in  all  Eng- 
land, that  passes  all  the  rest  in  doing  his  office  ? 
r  can  tell,  for  I  knovv'  who  it  is;  I  know  him  well. 
But  now  I  think  I  see  you  listening  and  hearken- 
In^  that  I  should  name  him.  There  is  one  that 
passes  all  the  other,  and  is  the  m.ost  diligent  prel- 
ate and  preacher  in  all  England.  And  will  ye 
know  who  it  is  ?  I  will  tell  you — it  is  the  devil.  He 
IS  the  most  diligent  preacher  of  all  others;  he  is  never 


300  THE    MODEL    PREACJIEE . 

out  of  liis  diocese;  he  is  jiever  from  his  cure;  you 
shall  never  find  him  unoccupied;  he  is  ever  in  his 
parish ;  he  keeps  residence  at  all  times ;  you  shall 
never  find  him  out  of  the  way;  call  for  him  when  you 
will  he  is  ever  at  home.  He  is  the  most  diligent 
preacher  in  all  the  realm  ;  he  is  ever  at  his  ploAV ;  no 
lording  nor  loitering  can  hinder  him ;  he  is  ever  ap- 
plying his  business  ;  you  shall  never  find  him  idle  I 
warrant  you.  And  his  office  is  to  hinder  religion,  to 
maintain  superstition,  to  set  up  idolatry,  to  teach  all 
kinds  of  Popery.  He  is  ready  as  can  be  wished  for 
to  set  forth  his  plow ;  to  devise  as  many  ways  as 
can  be  to  deface  and  obscure  God's  glory.  Where 
the  devil  is  resident,  and  has  his  plow  going,  there 
away  with  books  and  up  Avith  candles  ;  away  with 
Bibles  and  up  with  beads ;  away  with  the  light  of  the 
Gospel  and  up  with  the  light  of  candles,  yea,  at 
noonday.  Where  the  devil  is  resident,  that  he  may 
prevail,  up  with  all  superstition  and  idolatry ;  cen- 
sing, painting  of  images,  candles,  palms,  ashes,  holy 
water,  and  new  service  of  men's  inventing  ;  as  though 
man  could  invent  a  better  way  to  honor  God  with 
than  God  himself  hath  appointed.  Down  with  Christ's 
cross,  up  with  purgatory  pickpurse — up  with  him,  the 
Popish  purgatory,  I  m.can.  Away  with  clothing  the 
naked,  the  poor  and  impotent;  up  with  decking  of  im- 
ages, and  gay  garnishing  of  stocks  and  stones ;  up 
with  man's  traditions  and  his  laws,  down  with  God's 
traditions  and  his  most  holy  word.  Down  with  the 
old  honor  due  to    God,  and  up   with  the   new  god'n 


PULPIT    OKATOPtS.  301 

honor.  Let  all  things  be  done  in  Latin :  there  must 
be  nothing  but  Latin,  not  so  much  as  "Kemember, 
man,  that  thou  art  ashes,  and  into  ashes  shalt  thou 
return:"  Avhich  are  the  words  that  the  minister  speak- 
eth  unto  the  ignorant  people,  ^vhen  he  gives  them 
ashes  upon  Ash- Wednesday,  but  it  must  be  spoken  in 
Latin.  God's  ^vord  may  in  no  -wise  be  tr?.nslated  into 
English. 

0  that  our  prelates  would  be  as  diligent  to  sow 
the  corn  of  good  doctrine,  as  Satan  is  to  sow  cockle 
and  darnel !  And  this  is  the  devilish  plowing  which 
worketh  to  have  things  in  Latin,  and  hinders  the 
fruitful  edification.  But  here  some  man  will  say  to 
me,  What,  sir,  are  you  so  privy  to  the  devil's  counsel 
that  you  know  all  this  to  be  true  ?  True,  I  know 
him  too  well,  and  have  obeyed  him  a  little  too  much 
in  condescending  to  some  follies ;  and  I  know  him  as 
other  men  do ;  yea,  that  he  is  ever  occupied,  and 
ever  busy  in  following  his  plow.  I  know  by  St.  Pe- 
ter, who  saith  of  him,  "He  goeth  about  like  a  roar- 
ing lion,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour."  I  would 
have  this  text  well  viewed  and  examined,  every  word 
of  it :  "He  goeth  about"  in  every  corner  of  his  dio- 
cese ;  he  goeth  on  visitation  daily,  he  leaves  no  place 
of  his  cure  unvisited :  he  walks  round  about  from 
place  to  place,  and  ceases  not.  "As  a  lion,"  that  is, 
strongly,  boldly,  and  proudly ;  stately  and  fiercely, 
vfith  haughty  looks,  with  his  proud  countenances, 
with  his  stately  braggings.  "  Eoaring,"  for  he  lets 
not  any  occasion  slip,  to  speak  or  to  roar  out  when 


302  THE     MODEL     PllEACHER. 

he  seetli  his  time.  ''  He  goeth  about  seeking,"  and 
not  sleeping,  as  our  bishops  do ;  but  he  seeketh  dili- 
gently, he  searcheth  diligently  all  corners,  where  he 
may  have  his  prey.  He  roveth  abroad  in  every  place 
of  his  diocese ;  he  standeth  not  still,  he  is  never  at 
rest,  but  ever  in  hand  with  his  plow,  that  it  may  go 
forward.  But  there  was  never  such  a  preacher  in 
England  as  he  is.  Who  is  able  to  tell  his  diligent 
preaching,  which  every  day,  and  every  hour,  labors  to 
sow  cockle  and  darnel,  that  he  may  bring  out  of 
form,  and  out  of  estimation  and  renown,  the  institu- 
tion of  the  Lord's  supper  and  Christ's  cross  ?  For 
there  he  lost  his  right ;  for  Christ  said,  "  Now  is  the 
judgment  of  this  world,  and  the  prince  of  this  world 
shall  be  cast  out.  And  as  Moses  did  lift  up  the  serpent 
in  the  wilderness,  so  must  the  Son  of  man  be  lift  up. 
[John  iii.]  And  when  I  shtill  be  lift  up  from  the  earth, 
I  will  draw  all  things  unto  myself."  For  the  devil  was 
disappointed  of  his  purpose ;  for  he  thought  all  to  be 
his  own :  and  when  he  had  once  brought  Christ  to  the 
cross,  he  thought  all  was  sure. 

But  there  lost  he  all  reigning  :  for  Christ  said,  "I 
will  draw^  all  things  to  myself."  He  means,  drawing 
of  man's  soul  to  salvation.  And  that  he  said  he 
would  do  by  his  own  self;  not  by  any  other  sacrifice. 
He  meant  by  his  own  sacrifice  on  the  cross,  where 
he  offered  himself  for  the  redemption  of  mankind ; 
and  not  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass,  to  be  offered  by 
another.  For  who  can  offer  him  but  himself?  He 
was  both  the  Offerer  and  the  Offering.     And  this  i^ 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  303 

tlie  mark  at  which  the  devil  shooteth,  to  evacuate  the 
cross  of  Christ,  and  to  mangle  the  institution  of  the 
Lord's  supper ;  which,  although  he  can  not  bring  to 
pass,  yet  he  goes  about  by  his  sleights  and  subtile 
means  to  frustrate  the  same  :  and  these  fifteen  hun- 
dred years  he  has  been  a  doer,  only  purposing  to 
make  Christ's  death  of  small  efficacy  and  virtue. 
For  whereas  Christ,  ''  according  as  the  serpent  was 
lifted  up  in  the  wilderness,"  so  would  he  himself  be 
exalted ;  that  thereby  as  many  as  trusted  in  him 
should  have  salvation;  but  the  devil  would  none 
of  that.  They  would  have  us  saved  by  a  daily  obla- 
tion propitiatory;  by  a  sacrifice  expiatory  or  re- 
mis  sory. 

Now  propitiatory,  expiatory,  remissory,  or  satis- 
factory, signify  all  one  thing  in  eff"ect,  and  it  is  noth- 
ing else  but  whereby  to  obtain  remission  of  sins,  and 
to  have  salvation.  And  this  way  the  devil  used  to 
evacuate  the  death  of  Christ,  that  we  might  have  affi- 
ance in  other  things,  as  in  the  daily  sacrifice  of  the 
priest ;  whereas  Christ  would  have  us  to  trust  in  his 
sacrifice  alone.  So  he  was  ''  the  Lamb  that  hath 
been  slain  from  the  beginning  of  the  world ; 
and  therefore  he  is  called  a  "  continual  sacrifice  ;" 
and  not  for  the  continuance  of  the  mass,  as  the 
blanchers  have  blanched  it,  and  wrested  it,  and  as  I 
myself  did  once  mistake  it.  But  Paul  saith,  "By 
himself,  and  by  none  other,  Christ  made  purgation 
and  satisfaction  for  the  whole  w^orld." 


304  THE     MODEL     PREACHER, 


WILLIAM      C  H  I  L  L  I  N  G  ^V  O  R  T  H  . 

He  was  born  in  1602,  and  died  in  1644.  The 
fame  of  Chillingworth,  as  an  author  and  controversial- 
ist, is  world-wide.  His  excellence,  says  Barlow,  con- 
sisted  in  "his  logic,  both  natural  and  acquired." 
Warren,  in  his  Law  Studies,  says,  "( 'hillingworth  is 
the  writer  whose  works  are  recommended  for  exerci- 
tations  of  the  student."  Lord  Mansfield  pronounced 
him  to  be  a  perfect  model  of  argumentation.  Tillot- 
son  calls  him,  "incomparable,  the  glory  of  his  age  and 
nation."  Locke  proposes,  for  the  attainment  in  right 
reasoning,  the  constant  reading  of  Chillingworth,  who, 
by  his  example,  "will  teach  both  perspicui<.y  and  the 
way  of  right  reasoning  better  than  any  bit- k  that  I 
know."  His  sermons  are  nine  in  number,  of  which 
the  following  is,  by  common  consent,  admitted  to  b(^ 
the  masterpiece: 

THE      FORM     OF      GODLINESS     AV  I  T  H  0  U  T     ITS     POWER. 

"  This  know  also,  that  in  the  last  days  perilous  times  shall  come. 
For  men  shall  be  lovers  of  their  own  selves,  covetous,  boasters,  proud, 
blasphemers,  disobedient  to  parents,  unthankful,  unholy,  without 
natural  affection,  truce-breakers,  false  accusers,  incontinent,  fierce,  , 
dcspisers  of  those  that  are  good,  traitors,  heady,  high-minded,  lov- 
ers of  pleasures  more  than  lovers  of  Godj  having  a  form  of  godli- 
ness, but  denying  the  power  thereof."     2  Tim.  iii    1-5. 

To  a  discourse  upon  these  words,  I  can  not  think 
of  any  fitter  introduction  than  that  wherewith  our 
Savior  sometime  began  a  sermon  of  his,  "  This  day  is 
this  Scripture  fulfilled."     And  I  would  to  God  there 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  305 

were  not  great  occasion  to  fear  that  a  great  part  of  it 
may  be  fulfilled  in  this  place. 

Two  things  are  contained  in  it :  First,  the  real 
"wickedness  of  the  generality  of  the  men  of  the  latter 
times,  in  the  first  four  verses.  For  by  *'  men  shall  be 
lovers  of  themselves,  covetous,  boasters,  proud,"  etc., 
I  conceive  is  meant,  men  generally  shall  be  so ;  other- 
,wise  this  were  nothing  peculiar  to  the  last,  but  com- 
mon to  all  times;  for  in  all  times,  some,  nay  mu-  v, 
have  been  "  lovers  of  themselves,  covetous,  boasters, 
proud,"  etc.  Secondly,  we  have  here  the  formal  and 
hypocritical  godliness  of  the  same  times,  in  the  last 
verse :  "Having  a  form  of  godliness,  but  denying  the 
power  thereof;"  which  latter  ordinarily  and  naturally 
accompanies  the  former.  For,  as  the  shadows  are 
longest  when  the  sun  is  lowest,  and  as  vines  and  other 
fruit-trees  bear  the  less  fruit  when  they  are  suffered 
to  luxuriate  and  spend  their  sap  upon  superfluous 
suckers,  and  abundance  of  leaves;  so,  commonly,  we 
may  observe,  both  in  civil  conversation,  where  there 
is  great  store  of  formality,  there  is  little  sincerity ; 
and  in  religion,  where  there  is  a  decay  of  true  cordial 
piety,  there  men  entertain  and  please  themselves,  and 
vainly  hope  to  please  God,  with  external  formalities 
and  performances,  and  great  store  of  that  righteous- 
ness for  which  Christ  shall  judge  the  world. 

It  were  no  difiicult  matter  to  show  that  the  truth  of 

St.    Paul's    prediction  is  by   experience  justified   in 

both  parts  of  it ;  but  my  purpose  is  to  restrain  myself 

to  the  latter,  and  to  endeavor  to  clear  unto  you  that, 

26 


306  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

'  that  in  our  times  is  generally  accoraplished :  that 
almost  in  all  places  the  power  of  godliness  is  decayed 
and  vanished;  the  form  and  profession  of  it  only 
remaining;  that  the  spirit,  and  soul,  and  life  of  relig- 
ion, is  for  the  most  part  gone ;  only  the  outward  body 
or  carcass,  or  rather  the  picture  or  shadow  of  it, 
being  left  behind.  This  is  the  doctrine  which  at  this 
time  I  shall  deliver  to  you;  and  the  use,  w^hich  I 
d'-.re  most  heartily  you  shall  make  of  it,  is  this:  to 
take  care  that  you  confute,  so  far  as  it  concerns  your 
particulars,  what  I  fear  I  shall  prove  true  in  general. 

[Chillingworth  here  alludes,  in  few  words,  to  the 
promises  and  professions  of  many  which  are  disre- 
garded, and  condemning  particularly  their  vain  pre- 
tensions in  ijrayer,  proceeds  thus  :] 

And  then,  for  the  Lord's  prayer,  the  plain  truth  is, 
we  lie  unto  God  for  the  most  part  clean  through  it ; 
and  for  want  of  desiring  indeed  what  in  word  we 
prayed  for,  tell  him  to  his  face  as  many  false  tales  as 
we  make  petitions.  For  who  shows  by  his  endeavors 
that  he  desires  heartily  that  God's  name  should  be 
hallowed — that  is,  holily  and  religiously  worshiped  and 
adored  by  all  men?  That  his  kingdom  should  be 
advanced  and  enlarged ;  that  his  blessed  will  should 
be  universally  obeyed  ?  lyho  shows,  by  his  forsaking 
sin,  that  he  desires,  so  much  as  he  should  do,  the  for- 
giveness of  it  ?  Nay,  who  doth  not  revenge,  upon  all 
occasions,  the  affronts,  contempts,  and  injuries  put 
upon  him,  and  so  upon  the  matter  curse  himself,  as 
often  as  he  says,  ''  Forgive  us  our  trespasses,  as  wo 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  307 

forgive  them  that  trespass  against  ns  ?"  How  few  de- 
pend upon  God  only  for  their  "daily  bread" — namely, 
the  good  things  of  this  life — as  npon  the  only  Giver 
of  them,  so  as  neither  to  get  nor  keep  any  of  them, 
by  any  means,  which  they  know  or  fear  to  be  offen- 
sive unto  God  !  How  few  desire  in  earnest  to  avoid 
temptation  !  ISTay,  who  almost  is  there  that  takes  not 
the  devil's  office  out  of  his  hand,  and  is  not  himself  a 
tempter  both  to  himself  and  others?  Lastly,  who 
almost  is  there  that  desires  heartily,  and  above  all 
things,  so  much  as  the  thing  deserves,  to  be  delivered 
from  the  greatest  evil;  sin,  I  mean,  and  the  anger  of 
God?  Now,  beloved,  this  is  certain;  he  that  employs 
not  requisite  industry  to  obtain  what  he  pretends  to 
desire,  does  not  desire  indeed,  but  only  pretends  to 
do  so :  he  that  desires  not  what  he  prays  for,  prays 
with  tongue  only,  and  not  with  his  heart :  indeed  does 
not  pray  to  God,  but  play  and  dally  with  him.  And 
yet  this  is  all  which  men  generally  do,  and  therefore 
herein  also  accomplish  this  prophecy,  ''  Having  a 
form  of  godliness,  but  denying  the  powder  thereof." 

And  this  were  ill  enough  were  it  in  private ;  but  we 
abuse  God  Almighty  also  with  our  public  and  solemn 
formalities;  we  make  the  Church  a  stage  whereon  to 
act  our  parts,  and  play  our  pageantry;  there  we  make 
a  profession  every  day  of  confessing  our  sins  with 
humble,  lowly,  and  obedient  hearts;  and  yet,  when 
we  have  talked  after  this  manner  twenty,  thirty,  forty 
years  together,  our  hearts  for  the  most  part  continue 
as  proud,  as  impenitent,  as  disobedient,  as  they  were 


308  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

in  tlio  beginning.  We  make  great  protestations 
''■when  we  assemble  and  meet  together  to  render 
thanks  to  God  Almighty,  for  the  benefits  received  at 
his  hands;"  and  if  this  were  to  be  performed  with 
words,  with  hosannas  and  halleluiahs,  and  gloria 
patris,  and  psalms  and  hymns,  and  such  like  outward 
matters,  peradventure  we  should  do  it  very  suffi- 
ciently; but,  in  the  mean  time,  with  our  lives  and 
actions  we  provoke  the  Almighty,  and  that  to  his 
face,  with  all  -^ariety  of  grievous  and  bitter  provoca- 
tions; we  do  daily  and  hourly  such  things  as  we 
know,  and  he  hath  assured  us,  to  be  as  odious  unto 
him,  and  contrary  to  his  nature,  as  any  thing  in  the 
world  is  to  the  nature  of  any  man  in  the  world;  and  all 
this  upon  poor,  trifling,  trivial,  no  temptations.  If  a 
man  whom  j^ou  have  dealt  well  with  should  deal  so  with 
you,  one  whom  you  had  redeemed  from  the  Turkish 
slavery,  and  instated  in  some  indifferent  good  inherit- 
ance, should  make  you  fine  speeches,  entertain  you 
with  panegyrics,  and  have  your  praises  always  in  his 
mouth  ;  but  all  this  while  do  nothing  that  pleases  you, 
but  upon  all  occasions  put  all  affronts  and  indignities 
upon  you:  would  you  say  this  was  a  thankful  man? 
i'Nay,  would  you  not  make  heaven  and  earth  ring  of 
his  unthankfulness,  and  detest  him  almost  as  much  for 
his  fair  speeches  as  his  foul  actions?  Beloved,  such 
is  our  unthankfulness  to  our  God  and  Creator,  to  our 
Lord  and  Savior;  our  tongues  ingeminate,  and  cry 
aloud,  Hosanna,  hosanna,  but  the  louder  voice  of  our 
lives  and  actions  is,  "Crucify  him,  crucify  him.'      We 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  309 

court  God  Almighty,  and  compliment  with  him,  and 
profess  to  esteem  his  service  perfect  freedom ;  but  if 
any  thing  be  to  be  done,  much  more  if  any  thing  be 
to  be  suffered  for  him,  here  we  leave  him.  We  bow 
the  knee  before  him,  and  put  a  reed  in  his  hand,  and 
a  crown  upon  his  head,  and  cry,  "Hail,  King  of  the 
Jevrs;"  but  then,  with  our  customary  sins,  we  give 
him  gall  to  eat  and  vinegar  to  drink;  we  thrust  a 
spear  in  his  side,  nail  him  to  the  cross,  and  crucify  to 
ourselves  the  Lord  of  glory.  This  is  not  the  office 
of  a  friend  to  bewail  a  dead  friend  with  vain  lamenta- 
tions; sed  quce  voluerit  meininisse,  quce  mandaverit 
exequi — to  remember  what  he  desires,  and  to  execute 
what  he  commands.  So  said  a  dying  Roman  to  his 
friend,  and  so  say  I  to  you.  To  be  thankful  to  God 
is  not  to  say,  God  be  praised,  or  God  be  thanked;  hut 
to  rememher  luhat  he  desires,  and  ex-ecute  what  he  com- 
mands. To  be  thankful  to  God  is  certainly  to  love 
him,  and  to  love  him  is  to  keep  his  commandments : 
so  saith  our  Savior,  ''If  ye  love  me,  keep  my  com- 
mandments." If  we  do  so,  we, may  justly  pretend  to 
thankfulness,  which,  believe  me,  is  not  a  word,  nor  to 
be  performed  with  words  :  but,  if  we  do  not  so,  as 
generally  we  do  not,  our  talk  of  "thankfulness  is 
nothing  else  but  mere  talk,  and  we  accomplish  St. 
Paul's  prophecy  herein  also :  having  a  form  of 
thankfulness,  but  not  the  reality,  nor  the  power  of  it. 
If  I  should  reckon  up  unto  you  how  many  direct 
lies  every  wicked  man  tells  to  God  Almighty,  as  often 
as  he  says  amen  to  this  "form  of  godliness"  which 


810  THE     MODEL     P  R  E  A  C  II  E  R  . 

our  Church  hath  prescribed ;  if  I  should  present  unto 
you  all  our  acting  of  piety,  and  playing  of  humilia- 
tion, and  personating  of  devotion,  in  the  psalms,  the 
litanies,  the  collects,  and  generally  in  the  whole  serv- 
ice, I  should  be  infinite;  and,  therefore,  I  have  thought 
good  to  draw  a  vail  over  a  great  part  of  our  hypoc- 
risy, and  to  restrain  the  remainder  of  the  discourse  to 
the  contrariety  between  our  profession  and  perform- 
ance only  in  two  things ;  I  mean  faith  and  repentance. 

And,  first,  for  faith  :  vre  profess,  and  indeed  gen- 
erally, because  it  is  not  safe  to  do  otherwise,  that  we 
believe  the  Scripture  to  be  true,  and  that  it  contains 
the  plain  and  only  way  to  infinite  and  eternal  happi- 
ness ;  but  if  we  did  generally  believe  what  we  do  pro- 
fess, if  this  were  the  language  of  our  hearts  as  well  as 
our  tongues,  hov/  comes  it  to  pass  that  the  study  of  it 
is  so  generally  neglected  ? 

Let  a  book  that  treats  of  the  philosopher's  stone 
promise  never  so  many  mountains  of  gold,  and  even 
the  restoring  of  the  golden  age  again,  yet  were  it  no 
marvel  if  few  should  study  it;  and  the  reason  is,  be- 
cause few  would  believe  it.  But  if  there  were  a  book 
extant,  and  ordinary  to  be  had,  as  the  Bible  is,  which 
men  did  generally  believe  to  contain  a  plain  and  easy 
way  for  all  men  to  become  rich,  and  to  live  in  health 
and  pleasure,  and  this  world's  happiness,  can  any  man 
imagine  that  this  book  would  be  unstudied  by  any 
man  ?  And  why  then  should  I  not  believe  that,  if  the 
Scripture  were  firmly  and  heartily  believed,  the  cer- 
tain and  only  Avay  to  happiness.,  which  is  perfect  and 


PULPIT    ORATORS.  311 

eternal,  it  would  be  studied  by  all  men  with  all  dili- 
gence ?  Seeing,  therefore,  most  Christians  are  so 
cold  and  negligent  in  the  study  of  it,  prefer  all  other 
business,  all  other  pleasures  before  it,  is  there  not 
great  reason  to  fear  that  many  who  pretend  to  believe 
it  firmly  believe  it  not  at  all,  or  very  weakly  and 
faintly?  If  the  general  of  an  army,  or  an  embassa- 
dor to  some  prince  or  state,  were  assured  by  the  king 
his  master  that  the  transgressing  any  point  of  his 
commission  should  cost  him  his  life,  and  the  exact 
performance  of  it  be  recompensed  with  as  high  a  re- 
w^ard  as  were  in  the  king's  power  to  bestow  upon 
him ;  can  it  be  imagined  that  any  man  who  believes 
this,  and  is  in  his  right  mxind,  can  be  so  supinely  and 
stupidly  negligent  of  this  charge,  which  so  much  im- 
ports him,  as  to  oversee,  through  want  of  care,  any 
one  necessary  article  or  part  of  his  commission,  espe- 
cially if  it  be  delivered  to  him  in  writing,  and  at  h  s 
pleasure  to  peruse  it  every  day?  Certainly  this  ab- 
surd negligence  is  a  thing  without  example,  and  such 
as  peradventure  Avill  never  happen  to  any  sober  man 
to  the  world's  end;  and,  by  the  same  reason,  if  we 
were  firmly  persuaded  that  this  book  doth  indeed 
contain  that  charge  and  commission  which  infinitely 
more  concerns  us,  it  were  not  in  reason  possible  but 
that  to  such  a  persuasion  our  care  and  diligence 
about  it  should  be  in  some  measure  answerable.  See- 
ing, therefore,  most  of  us  are  so  strangely  careless, 
so  grossly  negligent  of  it,  is  there  not  great  reason  to 
fear  that  though  we  have  professors  and  protestors  in 


312  THE     MODEL     PREACHER'. 

abundance,  yet  the  fiiitliful,  tlie  truly  and  sincerely 
faithful,  are,  in  a  manner,  failed  from  the  children  of 
men  ?  What  but  this  can  be  the  cause  that  men  are 
so  commonly  ignorant  of  so  .many  articles  and  partic- 
ular mandates  of  it,  which  yet  are  as  manifest  in  it  as 
if  they  were  written  with  the  beams  of  the  sun  ?  For 
example,  how  few  of  our  ladies  and  gentlewomen  do 
or  will  understand  that  a  voluptuous  life  is  damnable 
and  prohibited  to  them  !  Yet  St.  Paul  saith  so  very 
plainly,  "  She  that  liveth  in  pleasure  is  dead  while 
she  liveth."  I  believe  that  this  case  directly  regards 
not  the  sex ;  he  would  say  he,  as  well  as  she,  if  there 
had  been  occasion.  How  few  of  the  gallants  of  our 
time  do  or  will  understand  that  it  is  not  lawful  for 
them  to  be  as  expensive  and  costly  in  apparel  as  their 
means,  or  perhaps  their  credit,  will  extend  unto  ! 
Which  is  to  sacrifice  unto  vanity  that  which  by  the 
law  of  Christ  is  due  unto  charity;  and  yet  the  same 
St.  Paul  forbids  plainly  this  excess,  even  to  women — 
''Also  let  women"' — he  would  have  said  it  much  rather 
to  men — "  array  themselves  in  comely  apparel,  with 
shamefacedness  and  modesty,  not  with  embroidered 
hair,  or  gold,  or  pearls,  or  costly  apparel."  And,  to 
make  our  ignorance  the  more  inexcusable,  the  very 
same  rule  is  delivered  by  St.  Peter  also. 

How  few  rich  men  are  or  will  be  persuaded,  that 
the  law  of  Christ  permits  them  not  to  heap  up  riches 
forever,  nor  perpetually  to  add  house  to  house,  and 
land  to  land,  though  by  lawful  means;  but  requires 
of  them  thus  much  charity  at  least,  that  ever,  whiio 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  313 

they  are  providing  for  their  wives  and  children,  they 
should,  out  of  the  increase  wherewith  God  hath 
blessed  their  industry,  allot  the  poor  a  just  and  free 
proportion  !  And  when  they  have  provided  for  them 
in  a  convenient  manner — such  as  they  themselves 
shall  judge  sufficient  and  convenient  in  others — that 
then  they  should  give  over  making  purchase  after 
pui'chase ;  but  with  the  surplusage  of  their  revenue 
beyond  their  expense,  procure,  as  much  as  lies  in 
them,  that  no  Christian  remain  miserably  poor;  few 
rich  men,  I  fear,  are  or  w411  be  thus  persuaded,  and 
their  daily  actions  show  as  much;  yet  undoubtedly, 
either  our  Savior's  general  command,  of  loving  our 
neighbors  as  ourselves,  which  can  hardly  consist  with 
our  keeping  vainly,  or  spending  vainly,  what  he  wants 
for  his  ordinary  subsistence,  lays  upon  us  a  necessity 
of  this  high  liberality :  or  his  special  command  con- 
cerning this  matter:  Quod  superest  date  pauperibus, 
''  That  which  remains  give  to  the  poor  :"  or  that  which 
St.  John  saith,  reacheth  home-  unto  it :  "  Whosoever 
hath  this  world's  good,  and  seeth  his  brother  have 
need,  and  shutteth  up  the  bowels  of  his  compassion 
from  him,  how  dwelleth  the  love  of  God  in  him?" 
Which  is,  in  effect,  as  if  he  had  said,  he  that  keepeth 
from  any  brother  in  Christ  that  which  his  brother 
wants,  and  he  wants  not,  doth  but  vainly  think  that 
he  loves  God ;  and,  therefore,  vainly  hopes  that  God 
loves  him. 

Where  almost  are  the  men  that  are  or  will  be  per- 
suaded, the  Gospel  of  Christ  requires  of  men  humil- 

27 


314  THE     MODEL     PKEACHER. 

ity,  like  to  that  of  little  children,  and  that  under  the 
highest  pain  of  damnation  ?  That  is,  that  we  should 
no  more  overvalue  ourselves,  or  desire  to  be  highly 
esteemed  by  others ;  no  more  undervalue,  scorn,  or 
despise  others ;  no  more  affect  pre-eminence  over 
others,  than  little  children  do,  before  we  have  put  that 
pride  into  them,  which  afterward  we  charge  wholly 
upon  their  natural  corruption ;  and  yet  our  blessed 
Savior  requires  nothing  more  rigidly,  nor  more 
plainly,  than  this  high  degree  of  humility:  "Veri- 
ly"— saith  he — "I  say  unto  you" — he  speaks  to  his 
disciples  affecting  high  places,  and  demanding  which 
of  them  should  be  greatest — "  except  you  be  convert- 
ed, and  become  as  little  children,  ye  shall  not  enter 
into  the  kino^dom  of  heaven." 

Would  it  not  be  strange  news  to  a  great  many,  that 
not  only  adultery  and  fornication,  but  even  unclean- 
ness  and  lasciviousness ;  not  only  idolatry  and  witch- 
craft, but  hatred,  variance,  emulations,  wrath,  and 
contentions ;  not  only  murders,  but  envyings ;  not 
drunkenness  only,  hvc  revelings,  are  things  prohibited 
to  Christians,  and  'oUch  as,  if  we  forsake  them  not,  we 
can  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  heaven?  And  yet  these 
things,  as  strange  as  they  may  seem,  are  plainly  writ- 
ten; some  of  them  by  St.  Peter;  but  all  of  them  by  St. 
Paul :  '^  Now  the  works  of  the  flesh  are  manifest,  which 
are  these,  adultery,  fornication,  uncleanness,  lascivi- 
ousness," etc.,  "of  the  which  I  tell  you  before,  as  I 
have  told  you  in  times  past,  that  they  who  do  sucli 
things,  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God." 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  315 

If  I  should  tell  you  that  all  bitterness  and  evil- 
speaking — na  J,  such  is  the  modesty  and  gravity  Avhich 
Christianity  requires  of  us — foolish  talk  and  jesting, 
are  things  not  allowed  to  Christians,  would  not  many 
cry  out,  "These  are  hard  and  strange  sayings — who 
can  hear  them?"  And  yet,  as  strange  as  they  may 
seem,  they  have  been  written  well-nigh  one  thousand 
six  hundred  years,  and  are  yet  extant  in  very  legible 
characters  in  the  epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  the  end  of 
the  fourth  and  the  beginning  of  the  fifth  chapter. 

[Chillingworth  deprecates  briefly  and  incidentally 
the  course  of  the  party  who  were  taking  up  arms 
against  the  King,  and  then  pursues  his  discourse 
thus:] 

You  see,  beloved,  how  many  instances  and  exam- 
ples I  have  given  you  of  our  gross  ignorance  of  what 
is  necessary  and  easy  for  us  to  know ;  and  to  these  it 
w^ere  no  difficult  task  to  add  more.  Now,  from 
whence  can  this  ignorance  proceed  but  from  supine 
negligence?  And  from  whence  this  negligence,  but 
from  our  not  believing  what  we  pretend  to  believe? 
For  did  we  believe  firmly  and  heartily  that  this  book 
was  given  us  by  God  for  the  rule  of  our  actions,  and 
that  obedience  to  it  were  the  certain  and  only  way  to 
(Eternal  happiness,  it  were  impossible  we  should  be 
such  enemies  to  ourselves,  such  traitors  to  our  own 
souls,  as  not  to  search  it  at  least  with  so  much  dili- 
gence that  no  necessary  point  of  our  duty  plainly 
taught  in  it  could  possibly  escape  us.  But  it  is  cer- 
tain and  apparent  to  all  the  world  that  the  greatest 


ol6  THE    MODEL    PHEACHER. 

part  of  Christians,  through  gross  and  willful  negli- 
gence, remain  utterly  ignorant  of  many  necessary 
points  of  their  duty  to  God  and  man;  and,  therefore, 
it  is  much  to  be  feared  that  this  book,  and  the  religion 
of  Christ  contained  in  it,  among  an  infinity  of  pro- 
fessors, labors  with  great  penury  of  true  believers. 


J  O  HN      BUNY AN . 

The  ^'  Shakspeare  among  divines,"  as  Bunyan  has 
been  justly  termed,  was  born  in  the  year  1628,  at  El- 
stow,  in  Bedfordshire,  the  son  of  a  traveling  tinker. 
In  his  youth  he  led  a  wandering  and  dissipated  life ; 
and  though  frequently  convicted  of  sin,  it  was  not  till 
twenty-five  years  of  age  that  he  found  peace  in  be- 
lieving; at  which  time  he  joined  a  dissenting  Baptist 
Church  in  Bedford.  Three  years  subsequent  he  be- 
came a  preacher  of  the  Gospel;  and  after  the  Resto- 
ration, in  common  with  many  others,  he  suffered  much 
from  the  cruel  persecutions  under  the  reign  of  that  un- 
principled tyrant,  Charles  the  Second,  and  was  finally 
thrown  into  Bedford  jail,  where  he  was  immured 
for  nearly  thirteen  years,  and  where  he  wrote,  among 
other  works,  "  The  Pilgrim's  Progress."  Upon  his 
release  he  resumed  preaching,  and  was  very  popular, 
attracting  immense  congregations,  whether  in  his  own 
meeting-house  at  Bedford  or  on  his  visits  to  London 
and  other  places.  After  sixty  years  of  hardship, 
persecution,  and  unwearied  toil,  he  ended  his  labors 


PULPIT    ORATORS.  317 

Au.^ust  31,  1688,  and  went  up  to  sit  down  with  tho 
shining  ones  of  the  Celestial  City. 

The  following  is  from  one  of  his  very  long  dis- 
courses, and  is  a  fair  example  of  his  style  of 
preaching : 

THE   BARREN'  FIG-TREE;   OR,   THE   DOOM  AND   DOWN- 
FALL OF  THE  FRUITLESS   PROFESSOR. 

"  And  he,  answering,  said  unto  him,  Lord,  let  it  alone  this  year 
also,  till  I  shall  dig  about  it,  and  dung  it;  and  if  it  bear  fruit,  well; 
and  if  not,  then  after  that  thou  shalt  cut  it  down."     Luke  xiii,  8,  9. 

These  are  the  words  of  the  Dresser  of  the  vineyard, 
Avho,  I  told  you,  is  Jesus  Christ — for  ''he  made  in- 
tercession for  the  transgressors" — and  they  contain 
a  petition  presented  to  offended  Justice,  praying  that 
a  little  more  time  and  patience  might  be  exercised 
toward  the  barren  cumber-ground  fig-tree. 

In  this  petition  there  are  six  things  considerable. 
1.  That  justice  might  be  deferred.  "0  that  justice 
might  be  deferred!  Lord,  let  it  alone,"  etc.,  "  awhile 
longer."  2.  Here  is  time  prefixed,  as  a  space  to  try 
if  more  means  will  cure  a  barren  fig-tree.  "Lord, 
let  it  alone  this  year  also."  3.  The  means  to  help  it 
are  propounded:  "till  I  shall  dig  about  it,  and  dung 
it."  4.  Here  is  also  an  insinuation  of  a  supposition 
that,  by  thus  doing,  God's  expectation  may  be  an- 
swered: "and  if  it  bear  fruit,  well."  5.  Here  is  a 
supposition  that  the  barren  fig-tree  may  yet  abide 
barren,  when  Christ  has  done  what  he  will  unto  it: 
**and  if   it  bear  fruit,"   etc.     6.  Here  is  at  last   a 


318  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

resolution,  that  if  thou  continue  barren,  hewing 
days  will  come  upon  thee:  ''and  if  it  15ear  fruit, 
well ;  and  if  not,  then  after  that  thou  shalt  cut  it 
down." 

But  to  proceed  according  to  my  former  method,  by 
way  of  exposition. 

Lord,  let  it  alone  this  year  also.  Here  is  astonish- 
ing grace  indeed !  Astonishing  grace,  I  say,  that  the 
Lord  Jesus  should  concern  himself  with  a  barren  fig- 
tree;  that  he  should  step  in  to  stop  the  blow  from  a 
barren  fig-tree !  True,  he  stopped  the  blow  but  for  a 
time;  but  why  did  he  stop  it  at  all?  Why  did  he  not 
fetch  out  the  ax?  Why  did  he  not  do  execution? 
Why  did  he  not  cut  it  doAvn?  Barren  fig-tree,  it  is 
well  for  thee  that  there  is  a  Jesus  at  God's  right 
hand — a  Jesus  of  that  largeness  of  bowels  as  to  have 
compassion  for  a  barren  fig-tree,  else  justice  had 
never  let  thee  alone  to  cumber  the  ground  as  thou 
hast  done.  When  Israel  also  had  sinned  against  God, 
down  they  had  gone,  but  that  Moses  stood  in  the 
breach.  "Let  me  alone,"  said  God  to  him,  "that  I 
may  consume  them  in  a  moment,  and  I  will  make  of 
thee  a  great  nation."  Barren  fig-tree,  dost  thou 
hear?  Thou  knowcst  not  how  oft  the  hand  of  divine 
Justice  hath  been  up  to  strike,  and  how  many  years 
since  thou  hadst  been  cut  down  had  not  Jesus  caught 
hold  of  his  Father's  ax.  "  Let  me  alone !  let  me 
fetch  my  blow!"  or,  "Cut  it  down!  why  cumbereth  it 
the  ground?"  Wilt  thou  not  hear  yet,  barren  fig- 
tree?     Wilt  thou  provoke  still?     Thou  hast  wearied 


PULPIT    ORATORS.  319 

men,  and  provoked  the  justice  of  God;  and  wilt  thou 
weary  my  God,  also  ? 

Lordj  let  it  alone  this  tear.  "Lord,  a  little 
longer!  Let  us  not  lose  a  soul  for  want  of  means. 
I  vvill  try — I  will  see  if  I  can  make  it  fruitful.  I  will 
not  beg  a  long  life,  nor  that  it  might  still  be  barren, 
and  so  provoke  thee.  I  beg,  for  the  sake  of  the  soul, 
the  immortal  soul,  Lord,  spare  it  one  year  only — one 
year  longer — this  year  also.  If  I  do  any  good  to  it, 
it  will  be  in  little  time.  Thou  shalt  not  be  over- 
wearied with  waiting ;  one  year,  and  then !" 

Barren  fig-tree,  dost  thou  hear  what  a  striving 
there  is  between  the  vine-dresser  and  the  husband- 
man for  thy  life?  "  Cut  it  down,"  saith  one;  "Lord, 
spare  it,"  saith  the  other.  "  It  is  a  cumber-ground," 
saith  the  Father.  "  One  year  longer,"  prays  the  Son. 
"Let  it  alone  this  year  also." 

Till  I  shall  dig  about  it,  and  dung  it.  The  Lord 
Jesus,  by  these  words,  supposeth  two  things  as  causes 
of  the  want  of  fruit  in  a  barren  fig-tree,  and  two 
things  he  proposeth  as  a  remedy.  The  things  that 
are  a  cause  of  the  want  of  fruit,  are,  1.  It  is  earth- 
bound:  "Lord,  the  fig-tree  is  earth-bound."  2.  A 
want  of  warmer  means,  or  fatter  means. 

Wherefore  accordingly  he  propoundeth,  1.  To  loos- 
en the  earth,  to  dig  about  it.  2.  And  then  to  supply 
it  with  manure:  "to  dig  about  it,  and  dung  it." 

Lord,  let  it  alone  this  year  also,  till  I  shall  dig 
nbout  it.  I  doubt  it  is  too  much  earth-bound.  The 
iove  of  this  world,  and  the  deceitfulness  of  riches,  lie 


320  THE    JI  0  D  E  L    PR  E  A  C  II  E  R  . 

too  close  to  tlie  roots  of  the  heart  of  this  professor. 
The  love  of  riches,  the  love  of  honors,  the  love  of 
pleasures,  are  the  thorns  that  choke  the  vrord.  "  For 
all  that  is  in  the  ^vorld,  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  and  the 
lust  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of  life,  is  not  of  the 
Father,  but  of  the  world."  How  then — Avhere  these 
things  bind  up  the  heart — can  tliere  be  fruit  brought 
forth  to  God? 

Barren  fig-tree  !  see  how  the  Lord  Jesus,  by  these 
very  words,  suggesteth  the  cause  of  thy  fruitlessness 
of  soul.  The  things  of  this  world  lie  too  close  to  thy 
heart;  the  earth  with  its  things  has  bound  up  thy 
roots  ;  thou  art  an  earth-bound  soul,  thou  art  wrapped 
up  in  thick  clay.  "If  any  man  love  the  world,  the 
love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him;"  how  then  can  he 
be  fruitful  in  the  vineyard?  This  kept  Judas  from 
the  fruit  of  caring  for  the  poor.  This  kept  Demas 
from  the  fruit  of  self-denial.  And  this  kept  Ananias 
and  Sapphira  his  wife  from  the  goodly  fruit  of  sin- 
cerity and  truth.  What  shall  I  say?  These  are 
"  foolish  and  hurtful  lusts,  which  drown  men  in  de- 
struction and  perdition;  for  the  love  of  money  is  the 
root  of  all  evil."  How  then  can  good  fruit  grow  from 
such  a  root,  the  root  of  all  evil,  "  which,  while  some 
coveted  after,  they  have  erred  from  the  faith,  and 
pierced  themselves  through  Avith  many  sorrows  ?"  It  is 
an  evil  root,  nay,  it  is  the  root  of  all  evil.  How  then  can 
the  professor  that  hath  such  a  root,  or  a  root  wrapped 
up  in  such  earthly  things,  as  the  lusts,  and  pleasures, 
and  vanities  of  this  world,  ]>ring  forth  fruit  to  God  *r 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  321 

1.  Till  I  shall  DIG  ahout  it.  "  Lord,  I  will  loosen  his 
roots;  I  will  dig  up  this  earth,  I  will  lay  his  roots  bare. 
Mj  hand  shall  be  upon  him  by  sickness,  by  disappoint- 
ments, by  cross  providences.  I  will  dig  about  him  till 
he  stands  shaking  and  tottering,  till  he  be  ready  to 
fall ;  then,  if  ever,  he  will  seek  to  take  faster  hold." 
Thus,  I  say,  deals  the  Lord  Jesus  ofttimes  with  the  bar- 
ren professor ;  he  diggeth  about  him,  he  smiteth  one 
blow  at  his  heart,  another  blow  at  his  lusts,  a  third  at 
his  pleasures,  a  fourth  at  his  comforts,  another  at  his 
self-conceitedness  :  thus  he  dio-creth  about  him.  This 
is  the  way  to  take  bad  earth  from  the  roots,  and  to 
loosen  his  roots  from  the  earth.  Barren  fig-tree !  see 
here  the  care,  the  love,  the  labor,  and  way,  which  the 
Lord  Jesus,  the  dresser  of  the  vineyard,  is  fain  to 
take  with  thee,  if  haply  thou  mayest  be  made  fruitful. 

2.  Till  I  shall  dig  ahout  it,  and  dung  it.  As  the 
earth,  by  binding  the  roots  too  closely,  may  hinder 
the  tree's  being  fruitful,  so  the  want  of  better  means 
may  also  be  a  cause  thereof.  And  this  is  more  than 
intimated  by  the  Dresser  of  the  vineyard:  'Hill  I 
shall  dig  about  it,  and  dung  it."  "I  will  supply  it 
with  a  more  fruitful  ministry,  with  a  warmer  word.  I 
will  give  them  pastors  after  mine  own  heart.  I  will 
duno;  them."  You  knovr  duno;  is  a  more  warm,  more 
fat,  more  hearty  and  succoring  matter,  than  is  com- 
monly the  place  in  which  trees  are  planted. 

I  will  "  dig  about  it,  and  dung  it."  That  is,' ''  I  will 
bring  it  under  a  heart-awakening  ministry;  the 
means  of  grace  shall  be   fat  and  good.     I  will  also 


322  THE    MODEL    PREACHER 

visit  it  with  heart-awakening,  heart- warming,  heart- 
encouraging  considerations.  I  will  apply  warm  dung 
to  its  roots.  I  will  strive  with  him  by  my  Spirit,  and 
give  him  some  tastes  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and  the 
power  of  the  world  to  come.  I  am  loth  to  lose  him 
for  want  of  digging."  "Lord,  let  it  alone  this  year 
also,  till  I  shall  dig  about  it,  and  dung  it." 

And  if  it  hear  fruity  well.  "  And  if  the  fruit  of  all 
my  labor  doth  make  this  fig-tree  fruitful,  I  shall  count 
my  time,  my  labor,  and  means,  well  bestov/ed  upon  it. 
And  thou,  also,  0  my  God,  shalt  be  therewith  much 
delighted.  For  thou  art  gracious  and  merciful,  and 
repentest  thee  of  the  evil  which  thou  threatenest  to 
bring  upon  a  people." 

These  words,  therefore,  inform  us  that  if  a  barren 
fig-tree,  a  barren  professor,  shall  now  at  last  bring 
forth  fruit  to  God,  it  shall  go  Avell  with  that  professor. 
It  shall  go  well  with  that  poor  soul.  His  former  bar- 
renness, his  former  tempting  of  God,  his  abuse  of 
God's  patience  and  long-suffering,  his  misspending 
year  after  year,  shall  now  be  all  forgiven  him.  Yea, 
God  the  Father,  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  will  now 
pass  by,  and  forget  all,  and  say.  Well  done,  at  the  last. 
"When  I  say  to  the  wicked,  0  wicked  man,  thou  shalt 
surely  die;  if  he  then  do  that  which  is  laAvful  and 
right,  if  he  walk  in  the  statutes  of  life,  without  com- 
mitting iniquity,  he  shall  surely  live,  he  shall  not 
die." 

Barren  fig-tree !  dost  thou  hear  ?  The  ax  is  laid 
to  thy  roots;  the  Lord   Jesus   prays  God   to    spare 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  323 

thee.  Hath  he  been  do^c'in^  about  thee?  Hath  he 
been  manuring  thee  ?  0  barren  fig-tree  !  now  thou  art 
come  to  the  point.  If  thou  shalt,now  become  good;  if 
thou  shalt,  after  a  gracious  manner,  suck  in  the  Gos- 
pel, and  if  thou  shalt  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God,  well; 
but  if  not,  the  fire  is  the  last.  Fruit  or  the  fire  ;  fruit 
or  the  fire,  barren  fig-tree  !     "  If  it  bear  fruit,  well." 

And  IF  NOT,  then  after  that  Thou  shalt  (nit  it 
doion.  *' And  if  not,"  etc.  The  Lord  Jesus,  by  this 
z/",  giveth  us  to  understand  that  there  is  a  generation 
of  professors  in  the  vrorld  that  are  incurable,  that 
will  not,  that  can  not  repent,  nor  be  profited  by  the 
means  of  grace ;  a  generation,  I  say,  that  will  retain 
a  profession,  but  will  not  bring  forth  fruit ;  a  genera- 
tion that  will  wear  out  the  patience  of  God,  time  and 
tide,  threatenings  and  intercessions,  judgments  and 
mercies,  and  after  all  will  be  unfruitful. 

0  the  desperate  wickedness  that  is  in  thy  heart ! 
Barren  professor,  dost  thou  hear?  The  Lord  Jesus 
stands  yet  in  doubt  about  thee ;  there  is  an  if  stands 
yet  in  the  way.  I  say,  the  Lord  Jesus  stands  yet  in 
doubt  about  thee,  whether  or  no  at  last  thou  wilt  be 
good ;  whether  he  may  not  labor  in  vain ;  whether 
his  dicro-ino;  and  dun  si  no;  will  come  to  more  than  lost 

CO       O  a       O 

labor.  "I  gave  her  space  to  repent,  and  she  repented 
not."  "  I  digged  about,  I  dunged  it ;  I  granted  time, 
and  supplied  it  with  means ;  but  I  labored  here  in 
vain,  and  spent  my  strength  for  naught  and  in  vain." 
Dost  thou  hear,  barren  fig-tree?  There  is  yet  a  queS' 
tion  whether  it  will  be  well  with  thy  soul  at  last? 


324  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

And  if  not,  after  that  Thou  sJialt  cut  it  down. 
There  is  nothing  more  exasperating  to  the  mind  of 
a  man  than  to  find  all  his  kindness  and  favor  slighted. 
Neither  is  the  Lord  Jesus  so  provoked  with  any  thing, 
as  when  sinners  abuse  his  means  of  grace.  "  If  it  be 
b.irren  and  fruitless  under  my  Gospel  ;  if  it  turn  my 
grace  into  wantonness ;  if  after  digging  and  dunging, 
and  waiting,  it  yet  remain  unfruitful,  I  will  let  thee 
cut  it  down." 

Gospel-means  applied,  is  the  last  remedy  for  a  bar- 
ren professor.  If  the  Gospel,  if  the  grace  of  the 
Gospel  will  not  do,  there  can  be  nothing  expected, 
but  "■  cut  it  down."  ''  Then  after  that  thou  shalt  cut 
it  down."  "  0  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  thou  that 
killest  the  prophets,  and  stonest  them  that  are  sent 
unto  thee,  how  often  would  I  have  gathered  thy  chil- 
dren together,  as  a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens  under 
her  wings,  and  ye  would  not !  Behold  your  house  is 
left  unto  you  desolate."  Yet  it  can  not  be  but  that 
this  Lord  Jesus  who  at  first  did  put  a  stop  to  the  exe- 
cution of  his  Father's  justice,  because  he  desired  to 
try  more  means  with  the  fig-tree  ;  I  say  it  can  not  be 
but  that  a  heart  so  full  of  compassion  as  his  is, 
should  be  touched  to  behold  this  professor  must  now 
be  cut  down.  "  And  when  He  was  come  near,  he 
beheld  the  city,  and  wept  over  it,  saying.  If  thou 
hadst  known,  even  thou,  at  least  in  this  thy  day,  the 
things  which  belong  unto  thy  peace!  But  now  they 
arc  hid  from  tliine  eyes." 

After  that  Tiiou  siialt  cut  it  down.     When  Christ 


PULPIT    ORATORS.  325 

giveth  thee  over,  there  is  no  intercessor  or  mediator, 
no  more  sacrifice  for  sin.  All  is  gone  but  judgment, 
but  the  ax,  but  "  a  certain  fearful  looking-for  of  judg- 
ment, and  fiery  indignation,  which  shall  devour  the 
adversaries." 

Barren  fig-tree  !  take  heed  that  thou  comest  not  to 
these  last  words,  for  these  words  are  a  give-up,  a 
cast-up,  a  cast-up  of  a  castaway.  "  After  that  thou 
shalt  cut  it  down."  They  are  as  much  as  if  Christ 
had  said,  "  Father,  I  begged  for  more  time  for  this 
barren  professor ;  I  begged  till  I  should  dig  about  it, 
and  dung  it;  but  now.  Father,  the  time  is  out,  the 
year  is  ended,  the  summer  is  ended,  and  no  good 
done.  I  have  also  tried  with  my  means,  with  the 
Gospel;  I  have  digged  about  it ;  I  have  laid  also  the 
fat  and  hearty  dung  of  the  Gospel  to  it;  but  all  comes 
to  nothing.  Father,  I  deliver  up  this  professor  to 
thee  again ;  I  have  done.  I  have  done  all,  I  have 
done  pra^ang  and  endeavoring,  I  will  hold  the  head 
of  thine  ax  no  longer ;  take  him  into  the  hands  of 
justice.  Do  justice !  Do  the  law  !  I  w^ll  never  beg 
for  him  more."  "After  that  thou  shalt  cut  it  down." 
"Woe  unto  them  when  I  depart  from  them!" 


GEORGE      WHITEFIELD. 


When  he  was  preaching  from  the  text,  "Where- 
fore glorify  ye  the  Lord  in  the  fires,"  Isa.  xxiv,  15, 
he  said,  "  When  I  was  some  years  ago  at  Shields,  I 
went  into  a  glass  house,  and  standing  very  attentively 


326  THE    MODEL     PREACHER. 

I  saw  several  masses  of  burning  glass  of  various 
forms.  The  workman  took  one  piece  of  glass  and 
put  it  into  one  furnace,  then  he  put  it  into  a  second, 
then  into  a  third.  I  asked  him,  ^Why  do  you  put 
that  into  so  many  fires  ?'  He  answered  me,  '  0,  sir 
the  first  was  not  hot  enough,  nor  the  second,  and 
therefore  we  put  it  into  the  third,  and  that  will  make 
it  transparent.'  0,  thought  I,  does  this  man  put 
this  glass  into  one  furnace  after  another  that  it  may 
be  rendered  perfect?  0  my  God,  put  me  into  one 
furnace  after  another,  that  my  soul  may  be  trans- 
parent, that  I   may   .see  God  as  he  is." 

I  will  add  the  closing  paragraphs  of  his  sermon  on 

THE      KINGDOM     OF     GOD. 

''  For  the  kingdom  of  God  is  not  meat  and  drink  ;  but  righteous- 
nees,  and  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost."     Rom.  xiv,  17. 
^  ^  :^  ^^  ^i  ilt  -^  :^  :^ 

Here,  then,  we  will  put  the  kingdom  of  God  togeth- 
er. It  is  ''righteousness,"  it  is  "peace,"  it  is  "joy  in 
the  Holy  Ghost."  When  this  is  placed  in  the  heart, 
God  there  reigns,  God  there  dwells  and  walks — 
the  creature  is  a  son  or  daughter  of  the  Almighty. 
But,  my  friends,  how  few  are  there  here  who  have 
been  made  partakers  of  this  kingdom  !  Perhaps  the 
kingdom  of  the  devil,  instead  of  the  kingdom  of  God, 
is  in  most  of  our  hearts.  This  has  been  a  place 
much  favored  of  God ;  may  I  hope  some  of  you  can 
go  along  with  me  and  say,  "  Blessed  be  God,  we  have 
got  righteousness,  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost!" 


PULPIT     ORATOES.'  327 

Have  you  so  ?  Then  you  are  kings,  though  beggars  ; 
you  are  happy  above  all  men  in  the  world — you 
have  got  heaven  in  your  hearts ;  and  when  the 
crust  of  your  bodies  drops,  your  souls  will  meet 
with  God,  your  souls  will  enter  into  the  world  of 
peace,  and  you  shall  be  happy  with  God  for  ever- 
more. I  hope  that  there  is  none  of  you  who  will 
fear  death ;  fie  for  shame,  if  ye  do  !  What,  afraid 
to  go  to  Jesus,  to  your  Lord  ?  You  may  cry  out, 
"0  death,  where  is  thy  sting?  0  grave,  where  is  thy 
victory?"  Y.ou  may  go  on  your  way  rejoicing,  know- 
mg  that  God  is  your  friend ;  die  when  you  will,  an- 
gels will  carry  you  safe  to  heaven. 

But,  0,  how  many  are  here  in  this  church-yard, 
who  will  be  laid  in  some  grave  erelong,  who  are  en- 
tire strangers  to  this  work  of  God  upon  their  souls ! 
My  dear  friends,  I  think  this  is  an  awful  sight.  Here 
are  many  thousands  of  souls  that  must  shortly  ap- 
pear with  me,  a  poor  creature,  in  the  general  assembly 
of  all  mankind  before  God  in  judgment.  God  Al- 
mighty knows  whether  some  of  you  may  not  drop  down 
dead  before  you  go  out  of  the  church-yard ;  and  yet, 
perhaps  most  are  strangers  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in 
their  hearts.  Perhaps  curiosity  has  brought  you  out 
to  hear  a  poor  babbler  preach.  But,  my  friends,  1 
hope  I  came  out  of  a  better  principle.  If  I  know  any 
thing  of  my  heart,  I  came  to  promote  God's  glory,  and 
if  the  Lord  should  make  use  of  such  a  worthless 
worm,  such  a  wretched  creature,  as  I  am,  to  do  your 
precious  souls  good,  nothing  would  rejoice  me  more 


828  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

than  to  liear  that  Gocl  makes  the  foolishness  of 
preaching  a  means  of  making  many  believe.  I  was 
long  myself  deceived  with  a  form  of  godliness,  and  1 
know  what  it  is  to  be  a  factor  for  the  devil,  to  be  led 
captive  by  the  devil  at  his  will,  to  have  the  kingdom 
of  the  devil  in  my  heart;  and  I  hope  I  can  say, 
through  free  grace,  I  know  what  it  is  to  have  the 
kingdom  of  God  erected  in  me.  It  is  God's  goodness 
that  such  a  poor  wretch  as  I  am  converted ;  though 
sometimes  when  I  am  speaking  of  God's  goodness  1 
am  afraid  he  will  strike  me  down  dead.  Let  me 
draw  out  my  soul  and  heart  to  you,  my  dear  friends, 
my  dear  guilty  friends,  poor  bleeding  souls,  who 
must  shortly  take  your  last  farewell,  and  fly  into 
endless  eternity.  Let  me  entreat  you  to  lay  these 
things  seriously  to  heart  this  night.  Now,  when  the 
Sabbath  is  over,  and  the  evening  is  drawing  near, 
methinks  the  very  sight  is  awful — I  could  almost  weep 
over  you,  as  our  Lord  did  over  Jerusalem — to  think 
in  how  short  a  time  every  soul  of  you  must  die — 
some  of  you  to  go  to  heaven,  and  others  to  go  to 
the  devil  for  evermore. 

0  my  dear  friends,  these  are  matters  of  eternal 
moment.  I  did  not  come  to  tickle  your  ears ;  if  I 
had  a  mind  to  do  so,  I  would  play  the  orator;  no,  but  I 
came,  if  God  should  be  pleased,  to  touch  your  hearts. 
What  shall  I  say  to  you?  Open  the  door  of  your 
heart,  that  the  King  of  glory,  the  blessed  Jesus, 
may  come  in  and  erect  his  kingdom  in  your  soul 
Make  room  for  Christ ;  the  Lord  Jesus  desires  to  sup 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  329 

^Yitll  you  to-night ;  Christ  is  willing  to  come  into  any 
of  your  hearts,  that  will  be  pleased  to  open  and  re- 
ceive him.  Are  there  any  of  you  made  willing 
Lydias?  There  are  many  women  here,  but  how 
many  Lydias  are  there  here  ?  Does  power  go  with 
the  word  to  open  your  heart?  and  find  you  a  sweet 
melting  in  your  soul?  Are  you  willing?  Then 
Christ  Jesus  is  willing  to  come  to  you.  But  you  may 
say,  Will  Christ  come  to  my  wicked,  polluted  heart  ? 
Yes,  though  you  have  many  devils  in  your  heart, 
Christ  will  come  and  erect  his  throne  there ;  though 
the  devils  be  in  your  heart,  the  Lord  Jesus  will 
scourge  out  a  legion  of  devils,  and  his  throne  shall  be 
exalted  in  thy  soul.  Sinners,  be  ye  what  you  will, 
come  to  Christ,  you  shall  have  righteousness  and  peace. 
If  you  have  no  peace,  come  to  Christ,  and  he  will  give 
you  peace.  When  you  come  to  Christ,  you  will  feel 
such  joy  that  it  is  impossible  for  you  to  tell.  0,  may 
God  pity  you  all !  I  hope  this  will  be  a  night  of  sal- 
vation to  some  of  your  souls. 

My  dear  friends,  I  would  preach  with  all  my  heart 
till  midnight,  to  do  you  good,  till  I  could  preach  no 
more.  0,  that  this  body  might  hold  out  to  speak 
more  for  my  dear  Redeemer !  Had  I  a  thousand 
lives,  had  I  a  thousand  tongues,  they  should  be  em- 
ployed in  inviting  sinners  to  come  to  Jesus  Christ  I 
Come,  then,  let  me  prevail  with  some  of  you  to  come 
along  with  me.  Come,  poor,  lost,  undone  sinner, 
come  just  as    you  are   to   Christ,  and    say.   If  I  bo 

damned,  I  will  perish  at  the  feet   of   Jesus   Christ, 

28 


830  THE     MODEL    PREACHER. 

■yvliere  never  one  perished  yet.  He  will  receive  you 
with  open  arms;  the  dear  Redeemer  is  willing  to  re- 
ceive you  all.  Fly,  then,  for  your  lives.  The  devil  is 
in  you  while  unconverted;  and  will  you  go  with  the 
devil  in  your  heart  to  bed  this  night  ?  God  Almighty 
knows  if  ever  you  and  I  shall  see  one  another  again 
In  one  or  two  days  more  I  must  go,  and,  perhaps,  I 
may  never  see  you  again  till  I  meet  you  at  the 
judgm.ent-day.  0  my  dear  friends,  think  of  that 
solemn  meeting  ;  think  of  that  important  hour,  when 
the  heavens  shall  pass  away  with  a  great  noise,  when 
the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat,  when  the 
sea  and  the  grave  shall  be  giving  up  their  dead,  and 
all  shall  be  summoned  to  appear  before  the  great  God. 
What  will  you  do  then,  if  the  kingdom  of  God  is  not 
erected  in  your  hearts  ?  You  must  go  to  the  devil — like 
must  go  to  like — if  you  are  not  converted.  Christ 
hath  asserted  it  in  the  strongest  manner :  ''  Verily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  you,  except  a  man  be  born  again,  he 
can  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God."  Who  can  dwell 
with  devouring  fire  ?  Who  can  dwell  with  everlasting 
burnings  ?  0,  my  heart  is  melting  with  love  to  you. 
Surely  God  intends  to  do  good  to  your  poor  souls. 
Will  no  one  be  persuaded  to  accept  of  Christ  ?  If 
those  who  are  settled  Pharisees  will  not  come,  I  de- 
sire to  speak  to  you  who  are  drunkards,  Sabbath- 
breakers,  cursors  and  swearers — will  you  come  to 
Christ  ?  I  know  that  many  of  you  come  here  out  of 
curiosity:  though  you  come  only  to  see  the  congrega- 
tion,  yet  if  you  come    to  Jesus   Christ,   Christ  will 


PULPIT     OUATOES.  331 

iiccept  of  yon.  Are  there  any  cursing,  swearing  sol- 
diers here  ?  Will  you  come  to  Jesus  Christ,  and  list 
yourselves  under  the  banner-  of  the  dear  Redeemer  V 
You  are  all  welcome  to  Christ.  Are  there  any  little 
boys  or  little  girls  here  ?  Come  to  Christ,  and  he  will 
erect  his  kingdom  in  you.  There  are  many  little  chil- 
dren whom  God  is  working  on,  both  at  home  and 
abroad.  0,  if  some  of  the  little  lambs  would  come  to 
Christ,  they  shall  have  peace  and  joy  in  the  day  that 
the  Redeemer  shall  set  up  his  kingdom  in  their  hearts. 
Parents  tell  them  that  Jesus  Christ  will  take  them  in 
his  arms,  that  he  will  dandle  them  on  his  knees.  All 
of  you,  old  and  young,  you  that  are  old  and  gray- 
headed,  come  to  Jesus  Christ,  and  you  shall  be  kings 
and  priests  to  your  God.  The  Lord  will  abundantly 
pardon  you  at  the  eleventh  hour.  "  Ho,  every  one 
of  you  that  thirsteth."  If  there  be  any  one  of  you 
ambitious  of  honor,  do  you  want  a  crown,  a  scepter  ? 
Come  to  Christ,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  will  give 
you  a  kingdom  that  no  man  shall  take  from  you. 


CHRISTMAS     EVANS. 

This  great  pulpit  orator  was  born  at  Ysgarwen, 
Cardiganshire,  South  Wales,  on  the  25th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1766.  On  the  sixteenth  of  July,  1838,  he 
preached  at  Swansea,  and  said,  as  he  sat  down,  "  This 
is  my  last  sermon  ;"  and  so  it  proved  ;  for  that  night 
he  was  taken  violently  ill,  and  died  three  days  after- 


yp,2  THE    MODEL    PEEACHER. 

ward,  ill  liis  scvent^'-tliird  year,  and  the  fifty-fourth 
of  his  ministry. 

Evans's  descriptive  powers  were  perhaps  never  ex- 
celled. His  imagination  was  of  the  imperial  order, 
and  absolutely  knew  no  bounds ;  and  his  facility  in 
the  ready  use  of  language  altogether  wonderful.  Be- 
sides this,  he  was  a  man  of  the  liveliest  sensibilities, 
and  always  spoke  out  of  a  full  heart,  sometimes 
storming  his  hearers  with  his  impassioned  earnest- 
ness, and  sometimes  himself  overwhelmed  with  the 
magnitude  and  grandeur  of  his  theme.  Add  to  this 
his  pre-eminent  faith  and  holiness  of  life,  and  we  dis- 
cover the  secret  of  bis  astonishing  pulpit  eloquence — 
which,  according  to  Robert  Hall,  entitles  him  to  be 
ranked  among  the  first  men  of  his  age.  The  best 
edition  of  Evans's  sermons  is  that  by  Joseph  Cross. 
Of  course  no  translator  can  do  him  full  justice,  but 
the  wide  popularity  of  these  discourses  is  the  best 
evidence  of  their  real  merit,  though  in  a  foreign  dress. 
Perhaps  there  is  no  one,  upon  the  whole,  superior 
to  that  which  is  here  given.  It  contains  one  or  two 
passages,  which,  for  originality  and  brilliancy  of  con- 
ception, and  for  force  of  utterance,  are  absolutely  un- 
rivaled. 

THE      F  A  1. 1.    A  K  D      R  K  C  0  V  E  U  Y      O  F     Jf  A  N  , 

'Tor  if,  through  the  oflfcnse  of  one,  many  be  dead  ;  much  more 
the  grace  of  God,  and  the  gift  by  grace,  which  is  by  one  man,  Jesu^ 
Christ,  hath  abounded  unto  many."     Homans  v,  15. 

Man  was  created  in  the  image   of  God.     Know! 
edge  and  perfect  holiness  were  impressed  upon  tlie 


PULPIT    ORATORS.  333 

very  nature  and  faculties  of  his  soul.  lie  had  con- 
stant access  to  his  Maker,  and  enjoyed  free  com- 
munion with  him,  on  the  ground  of  his  spotless 
moral  rectitude.  But,  alas  !  the  glorious  diadem  is 
broken ;  the  crown  of  righteousness  is  fallen.  Man's 
purity  is  gone,  and  his  happiness  is  forfeited.  "  There 
is  none  righteous;  no,  not  one."  "All  have  sinned, 
and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God."  But  the  ruin 
is  not  hopeless.  What  was  lost  in  Adam  is  restored 
in  Christ.  His  blood  redeems  us  from  bondage,  and 
his  Gospel  gives  us  back  the  forfeited  inheritance. 
^'  For  if,  through  the  offense  of  one,  many  be  dead ; 
much  more  the  grace  of  God,  and  the  gift  by  grace, 
which  is  by  one  man,  Jesus  Christ,  hath  abounded 
unto  many."  Let  us  consider :  first^  the  corrup- 
tion and  condemnation  of  man ;  and,  secondly^  his 
gracious  restoration  to  the  favor  of  his  offended 
God. 

1.  To  find  the  cause  of  man's  corruption  and  con- 
demnation we  must  go  back  to  Eden.  The  eating  of 
the  "forbidden  tree"  was  "the  offense  of  one,"  in 
consequence  of  which  "  many  are  dead."  This  was 
the  "sin,"  the  act  of  "disobedience,"  which  "brought 
death  into  the  world,  and  all  our  woe."  It  was 
the  greatest  ingratitude  to  the  divine  bounty,  and 
the  boldest  rebellion  ao;ainst  the  divine  sovereis-ntv. 
The  royalty  of  God  was  contemned;  the  riches  of 
his  goodness  slighted;  and  his  most  desperate 
enemy  preferred  before  him,  as  if  he  were  a  wiser 
counselor  than  Infinite  Wisdom.     Thus  man  joined  in 


834  THE     MODEL    PEE  AC  II  EH. 

leao-ue  ^vitli  hell,  against  heaven;  with  demons  of  tho 
bottomless  pit,  against  the  almighty  Maker  and  Ben- 
efactor; robbing  God  of  the  obedience  due  to  his 
command,  and  the  glorj^  due  to  his  name;  worship- 
ino-  the  creature,  instead  of  the  Creator;  and  opening 
the  door  to  pride,  unbelief,  enmity,  and  all  wicked  and 
abominable  passions.  How  is  the  ^'  noble  vine," 
which  was  planted  "wholly  a  right  seed,"  "turned 
into  the  degenerate  plant  of  a  strange  vine!" 

Who  can  look  for  pure  water  from  such  a  fountain? 
''  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh."  All  the 
faculties  of  the  soul  are  corrupted  by  sin;  the  under- 
standing dark ;  the  will  perverse ;  the  affections  carnal ; 
the  conscience  full  of  shame,  remorse,  confusion,  and 
mortal  fear.  Man  is  a  hard-hearted  and  stiff-necked 
sinner ;  loving  darkness  rather  than  light,  because  his 
deeds  are  evil;  eating  sin  like  bread,  and  drinking 
iniquity  like  water;  holding  fast  deceit,  and  refusing 
to  let  it  go.  His  heart  is  desperately  wicked;  full 
of  pride,  vanity,  hypocrisy,  covetousness,  hatred  of 
truth,  and  hostility  to  all  that  is  good. 

This  depravity  is  universal.  Among  the  natural 
children  of  Adam  there  is  no  exemption  from  the 
original  taint.  "The  whole  world  lieth  in  wicked- 
ness." "We  are  all  as  an  unclean  thing,  and  all  our 
righteousness  is  as  filthy  rags."  The  corruption  may 
vary  in  the  degrees  of  development,  in  different  per- 
sons; but  the  elements  are  in  all,  and  their  nature  is 
every-where  the  same;  the  same  in  the  blooming 
youth,  and  the  withered  sire;  in  the  haughty  prince, 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  335 

And  the  humble  peasant;  in  the  strongest  giant,  and 
the  feeblest  invalid.  The  enemy  has  "  come  in  like  a 
flood."  The  deluge  of  sin  has  swept  the  world. 
From  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  there  is  no  health  or 
moral  soundness.  Erom  the  crown  of  the  head  to 
the  soles  of  the  feet,  there  is  nothing  but  wounds, 
and  bruises,  and  putrefying  sores.  The  laws,  and 
their  violation,  and  the  punishments  every-where  in- 
vented for  the  suppression  of  vice,  prove  the  univer- 
sality of  the  evil.  The  bloody  sacrifices  and  various 
purifications  of  the  pagans  show  the  handwriting  of 
remorse  upon  their  consciences;  proclaim  their  sense 
of  guilt,  and  their  dread  of  punishment.  None  of 
them  are  free  from  the  fear  which  hath  torment, 
whatever  their  efforts  to  overcome  it,  and  however 
great  their  boldness  in  the  service  of  sin  and  Satan. 
"  Mene !  Tekel !"  is  written  on  every  human  heart. 
"Wanting!  wanting!"  is  inscribed  on  heathen  fanes 
and  altars ;  on  the  laws,  customs,  and  institutions  of 
every  nation ;  and  on  the  universal  consciousness  of 
mankind. 

This  inward  corruption  manifests  itself  in  outward 
actions.  "  The  tree  is  known  by  its  fruit."  As  the 
sm.oke  and  sparks  of  a  chimney  show  that  there  is 
fire  within;  so  all  the  "filthy  conversation"  of  men, 
and  all  "the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness"  in  which 
they  delight,  evidently  indicate  the  pollution  of  the 
source  whence  they  proceed.  "  Out  of  the  abundance 
of  the  heart  the  mouth  speaketh."  The  sinner's 
speech    betrayeth   him.     "Evil    speaking"    proceeds 


1336  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

from  malice  and  envy.  "  Foolish  talking  and  jest 
ing  "  are  evidence  of  impure  and  trifling  thoughts. 
The  mouth  full  of  cursing  and  bitterness,  the  throat 
an  open  sepulcher,  the  poison  of  asps  under  the 
tongue,  the  feet  swift  to  shed  blood,  destruction  and 
misery  in  their  paths,  and  the  way  of  peace  unknown 
to  them,  are  the  clearest  and  amplest  demonstration 
that  men  ^'have  gone  out  of  the  way,"  "have  together 
become  unprofitable.^'  We  see  the  bitter  fruit  of  the 
same  corruption  in  robbery,  adultery,  glutton}^,  drunk- 
enness, extortion,  intolerance,  persecution,  apostasy, 
and  every  evil  work — in  all  false  religions;  the  Jew, 
obstinately  adhering  to  the  carnal  ceremonies  of  an 
abrogated  law;  the  Mohammedan,  honoring  an  impos- 
tor, and  receiving  a  lie  for  a  revelation  from  God;  the 
Papist,  worshiping  images  and  relics,  praying  to 
departed  saints,  seeking  absolution  from  sinful  men, 
and  trusting  in  the  most  absurd  mummeries  for  salva- 
tion; the  pagan,  attributing  divinity  to  the  works  of 
his  own  hands,  adoring  idols  of  wood  and  stone,  sac- 
rificing to  malignant  demons,  casting  his  children  into 
the  fire  or  the  flood  as  an  oftering  to  imaginary 
deities,  and  changing  the  glory  of  the  incorruptible 
God  into  the  likeness  of  the  beast  and  the  Avorm. 

*'For  these  things'  sake  the  wrath  of  God  cometh 
upon  the  children  of  disobedience."  They  are  under 
the  sentence  of  the  broken  law ;  the  malediction  of 
eternal  Justice.  "By  the  offense  of  one,  judgment 
came  upon  all  men  unto  condemnation."  "He  that 
believeth  not  is  condemned  already."     "  The  wrath 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  337 

of  God  abidetli  on  him."  "  Cursed  is  every  one  that 
continueth  not  in  all  things  written  in  the  book  of  the 
law,  to  do  them."  ^'  Woe  unto  the  wicked ;  it  shall  be 
ill  with  him,  for. the  reward  of  his  hands  shall  be  given 
him."  "  They  that  plow  iniquity,  and  sow  wicked- 
ness, shall  reap  the  same."  "  Upon  the  wicked  the 
Lord  shall  rain  fire,  and  snares,  and  a  horrible  tem- 
pest ;  this  shall  be  the  portion  of  their  cup."  ^'  God 
is  angry  with  the  wicked  every  day;  if  he  turn  not, 
he  will  whet  his  sword;  he  hath  bent  his  bow,  and 
made  it  ready." 

Who  shall  describe  the  misery  of  fallen  man !  His 
days,  though  few,  are  full  of  evil.  Trouble  and  sor- 
row press  him  forward  to  the  tomb.  All  the  world, 
except  Noah  and  his  family,  are  drowning  in  the 
deluge.  A  storm  of  fire  and  brimstone  is  fallen  from 
heaven  upon  Sodom  and  Gomorrah.  The  earth  is 
opening  her  mouth  to  swallow  up  alive  Korah,  Da- 
than,  and  Abiram.  Wrath  is  coming  upon  "the 
Beloved  City,"  even  "  wrath  unto  the  uttermost." 
The  tender  and  delicate  mother  is  devouring  her  dar- 
ling infant.  The  sword  of  men  is  executing  the 
vengeance  of  God.  The  earth  is  emptying  its  inhab- 
itants into  the  bottomless  pit.  On  every  hand  are 
*'  confused  noises,  and  garments  rolled  in  blood." 
Fire  and  sword  fill  the  land  with  consternation  and 
dismay.  Amid  the  universal  devastation,  wild  shrieks 
and  despairing  groans  fill  the  air.  God  of  mercy!  is 
thy  ear  heavy,  that  thou  canst  not  hear?  or  thy  arm 

shortened  that  thou  canst   not   save?     The   heavens 

29 


338  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

above  are  brass,  and  the  earth  beneath  is  iron;  for 
Jehovah  is  pouring  his  indignation  upon  his  adver- 
saries, and  he  will  not  pity  or  spare. 

Verily,  "the  misery  of  man  is  great  upon  him  I" 
Behold  the  "wretched  fallen  creature  !  The  pestilence 
pursues  him.  The  leprosy  cleaves  to  him.  Consump- 
tion is  wasting  him.  Inflammation  is  devouring  his 
vitals.  Burning  fever  has  seized  upon  the  very 
springs  of  life.  The  destroying  angel  has  overtaken 
the  sinner  in  his  sins.  The  hand 'of  God  is  upon  him. 
The  fires  of  wrath  are  kindling  about  him,  drying  up 
every  well  of  comfort,  and  scorching  all  his  hopes 
to  ashes.  Conscience  is  chastising  him  with  scor- 
pions. See  how  he  writhes  !  Hear  how  he  shrieks 
for  help  !  Mark  what  agony  and  terror  are  in  his 
soul,  and  on  his  brow !  Death  stares  him  in  the  face, 
and  shakes  at  him  his  iron  spear.  He  trembles,  he 
turns  pale,  as  a  culprit  at  the  bar,  as  a  convict  on  the 
scaifold.  He  is  condemned  already.  Conscience  has 
pronounced  the  sentence.  Anguish  has  taken  hold 
upon  him.  Terrors  gather  in  battle  array  about  him. 
He  looks  back,  and  the  storms  of  Sinai  pursue  him ; 
forward,  and  hell  is  moved  to  meet  him  ;  above,  and 
the  heavens  are  on  fire  ;  beneath,  and  the  world  is 
burning.  He  listens,  and  the  judgment  trump  is  call- 
ing ;  again,  and  the  brazen  chariots  of  vengeance  are 
thundering  from  afar ;  yet  again,  and  the  sentence 
penetrates  his  soul  with  anguish  unspeakable — "  De- 
part !  ye  accursed  !  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for 
the  devil  and  his  angels  !" 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  339 

Thus,  "bj  one  man,  sin  entered  into  tlie  world, 
and  death  by  sin ;  and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men, 
for  that  all  have  sinned."  They  are  "dead  in  tres- 
passes and  sins;"  spiritually  dead,  and  legally  dead; 
dead  by  the  mortal  power  of  sin,  and  dead  by  the 
condemnatory  sentence  of  the  law;  and  helpless  as 
sheep  to  the  slaughter,  they  are  driven  fiercely  on  by 
the  ministers  of  wrath  to  the  all-devouring  grave,  and 
the  lake  of  fire  I 

But  is  there  no  mercy  ?  Is  there  no  means  of 
salvation  ?  Hark !  amidst  all  this  prelude  of  wrath 
and  ruin,  comes  a  still  small  voice,  saying :  "  much 
more  the  grace  of  God,  and  the  gift  by  grace,  which 
is  by  one  man,  Jesus  Christ,  hath  abounded  unto 
many." 

2.  This  brings  us  to  our  second  topic,  man's  gra- 
cious recovery  to  the  favor  of  his  offended  God. 

I  know  not  how  to  represent  to  you  this  glorious 
work,  better  than  by  the  following  figure.  Suppose  a 
vast  graveyard,  surrounded  by  a  lofty  wall,  with  only 
one  entrance,  which  is  by  a  massive  iron  gate,  and 
that  is  fast  bolted.  Within  are  thousands  and  millions 
of  human  beings,  of  all  ages  and  classes,  by  one  epi- 
demic disease  bending  to  the  grave.  The  graves  yawn 
to  swallow  them,  and  they  must  all  perish.  There  is 
no  balm  to  relieve,  no  physician  there.  Such  is  the 
condition  of  man  as  a  sinner.  All  have  sinned ;  and 
it  is  written,  "  The  soul  that  sinneth  shall  die." 
But  while  the  unhappy  race  lay  in  that  dismal  prison, 
Mercy  came  and  stood   at  the  gate,  and  wept  over 


340  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

the  melancholy  scene,  exclaiming,  "  0  that  I  might 
enter  !  I  would  bind  up  their  wounds ;  I  would  re- 
lieve their  sorrows ;  I  would  save  their  souls  !'^  An 
embassy  of  angels,  commissioned  from  the  court  of 
heaven  to  some  other  world,  paused  at  the  sight,  and 
heaven  forgave  that  pause.  Seeing  Mercy  standing 
there,  they  cried:  ''Mercy!  canst  thou  not  enter? 
Canst  thou  look  upon  that  scene  and  not  pity?  Canst 
thou  pity,  and  not  relieve  ?"  Mercy  replied  :  "  I  can 
see !"  and  in  her  tears  she  added,  "  I  can  pity,  but  I 
can  not  relieve  !"  "  Why  canst  thou  not  enter  ?" 
inquired  the  heavenly  host.  "  0 !"  said  Mercy, 
"Justice  has  barred  the  gate  against  me,  and  I  must 
not — can  not  unbar  it!"  At  this  moment  Justice 
appeared,  as  if  to  watch  the  gate.  The  angels  asked, 
"Why  Avilt  thou  not  suffer  Mercy  to  enter?"  He 
sternly  replied :  "  The  law  is  broken,  and  it  must  be 
honored  !  Die  they  or  Justice  must !"  Then  appeared 
a  form  among  the  angelic  band  like  unto  the  Son  of 
God.  Addressing  himself  to  Justice,  he  said  :  "  What 
are  thy  demands  ?"  Justice  replied  :  "  My  demands 
are  rigid ;  I  must  have  ignominy  for  their  honor,  sick- 
ness for  their  health,  death  for  their  life.  Without 
the  shedding  of  blood  there  is  no  remission  !"  "Jus- 
tice," said  the  Son  of  God,  "  I  accept  thy  terms  !  On 
me  be  this  wrong !  Let  Mercy  enter,  and  stay  the 
carnival  of  death!"  "What  pledge  dost  thou  give 
for  the  performance  of  these  conditions  ?"  "  My 
word  ;  my  oath  !"  "  When  wilt  thou  perform  them  ?" 
"  Four  thousand  years  hence,  on  the  hill  of  Calvary, 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  841 

without  the  walls  of  Jerusalem  !"  The  bond  Avna 
prepared,  and  signed  and  sealed  in  the  presence  of 
attendant  angels.  Justice  was  satisfied,  the  gate  was 
opened,  and  Mercy  entered,  preaching  salvation  in 
the  name  of  Jesus.  The  bond  was  committed  to 
patriarchs  and  prophets.  A  long  series  of  rites  and 
ceremonies,  sacrifices  and  oblations,  was  instituted  to 
perpetuate  the  memory  of  that  solemn  deed.  At  the 
close  of  the  four  thousandth  year,  when  Daniel's 
"seventy  weeks"  were  accomplished,  Justice  and 
Mercy  appeared  on  the  hill  of  Calvary.  "Where," 
said  Justice,  "is  the  Son  of  God?"  "Behold  him," 
answered  Mercy,  "  at  the  foot  of  the  hill !"  And 
there  he  came,  bearing  his  own  cross,  and  followed  by 
his  weeping  Church.  Mercy  retired,  and  stood  aloof 
from  the  scene.  Jesus  ascended  the  hill,  like  a  lamb 
for  the  sacrifice.  Justice  presented  the  dreadful  bond, 
saying,  "  This  is  the  day  on  which  this  article  must  be 
canceled."  The  Redeemer  took  it.  What  did  he 
do  with  it?  Tear  it  in  pieces,  and  scatter  it  to  the 
winds  ?  No  !  He  nailed  it  to  his  cross,  crying,  "  It 
is  finished  !"  The  Victim  ascended  the  altar.  Justice 
called  on  holy  fire  to  come  down  and  consume  the 
sacrifice.  Holy  fire  replied:  "I  come!  I  will  con- 
sume the  sacrifice,  and  then  I  will  burn  up  the 
world!"  It  fell  upon  the  Son  of  God,  and  rapidly 
consumed  his  humanity;  but  when  it  touched  his 
Deity,  it  expired.  Then  was  there  darkness  over  the 
whole  land,  and  an  earthquake  shook  the  mountain, 
but  the  heavenly  host  broke  forth  in  rapturous  song — 


342  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

''  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest !  on  earth  peace,  good 
will  to  man  !" 

Thus  grace  has  abounded,  and  the  free  gift  has 
come  upon  all,  and  the  Gospel  has  gone  forth  pro- 
claiming redemption  to  every  creature.  "Bj  grace 
ye  are  saved,  through  faith;  and  that  not  of  your- 
selves; it  is  the  gift  of  God;  not  of  works,  lest  any 
man  should  boast."  By  grace  ye  are  loved,  re- 
deemed, and  justified.  By  grace  ye  are  called,  con- 
verted, reconciled,  and  sanctified.  Salvation  is  wholly 
of  grace.  The  plan,  the  process,  the  consummation, 
are  all  of  grace. 

"  Grace  all  the  work  shall  crowu 
Through  everlasting  days  ; 
It  lays  in  heaven  the  topmost  stone, 
And  well  deserves  the  praise." 

"Where  sin  abounded,  grace  hath  much  more 
abounded."  "  Through  the  offense  of  one,  many  were 
dead."  And  as  men  multiplied,  the  offense  abounded. 
The  waters  deluged  the  world,  but  could  not  wash 
away  the  dreadful  stain.  The  fire  fell  from  heaven, 
but  could  not  burn  out  the  accursed  plague.  The 
earth  opened  her  mouth,  but  could  not  swallow 
up  the  monster  sin.  The  law  thundered  forth  its 
threat  from  the  thick  darkness  on  Sinai,  but  could  not 
restrain,  by  all  its  terrors,  the  children  of  disobedi- 
ence. Still  the  offense  abounded  and  multiplied  as 
the  sands  on  the  sea-shore.  It  waxed  bold,  and 
pitched  its  tent  on  Calvary,  and  nailed  the  Lawgiver 
to  a  tree.     But  in  that  conflict  sin  received  its  mortal 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  343 

wound.  The  Victim  was  tlie  Victor.  He  fell,  but  in 
his  fall  he  crushed  the  foe.  He  died  unto  sin,  but  sin 
and  death  were  crucified  upon  his  cross.  Where  sin 
abounded  to  condemn,  grace  hath  much  more  abound- 
ed to  justify.  Where  sin  abounded  to  corrupt,  grace 
hath  much  more  abounded  to  purify.  Where  sin 
abounded  to  harden,  grace  hath  much  more  abounded 
to  soften  and  subdue.  Where  sin  abounded  to  im- 
prison men,  grace  hath  much  more  abounded  to  pro- 
claim liberty  to  the  captives.  Where  sin  abounded  to 
break  the  law  and  dishonor  the  Lawgiver,  grace  hath 
much  more  abounded  to  repair  the  breach  and  efface 
the  stain.  Where  sin  abounded  to  consume  the  soul 
as  with  unquenchable  fire  and  a*  gnawing  worm,  grace 
hath  much  more  abounded  to  extinguisli  the  flame  and 
heal  the  wound.  Grace  hath  abounded !  It  hath  es- 
tablished its  throne  on  the  merit  of  the  Redeemer's 
sufferings.  It  hath  put  on  the  crown,  and  laid  hold 
of  the  golden  scepter,  and  spoiled  the  dominion  of 
the  prince  of  darkness,  and  the  gates  of  the  great 
cemetery  are  thrown  open,  and  there  is  the  beating 
of  a  new  life-pulse  throughout  its  wretched  popula- 
tion, and  Immortality  is  walking  among  the  tombs ! 

This  abounding  grace  is  manifested  in  the  gift  of 
Jesus  Christ,  by  whose  mediation  our  reconciliation 
and  salvation  are  effected.  With  him,  believers  aie 
dead  unto  sin  and  alive  unto  God.  Our  sins  were 
slain  at  his  cross  and  buried  in  his  tomb.  His  resur- 
rection hath  opened  our  graves  and  given  us  an  as- 
surance of  immortality.     "  God  commendeth  his  iove 


34'i  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

toward  us,  in  that,  while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ 
di*e(l  for  us;  much  more,  then,  being  now  justified  by 
his  blood,  we  shall  be  saved  from  wrath  through  him , 
for  if,  when  we  were  enemies,  we  were  reconciled  to 
God  by  the  death  of  his  Son,  much  more,  being  rec- 
onciled, we  shall  be  saved  by  his  life." 

"  The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God ;  it  is  not 
subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be." 
Glory  to  God  for  the  death  of  his  Son,  by  which  this 
enmity  is  slain,  and  reconciliation  is  effected  between 
the  rebel  and  the  law!  This  was  the  unspeakable 
gift  that  saved  us.  from  ruin — that  wrestled  with  the 
storm  and  turned  it  away  from  the  devoted  head  of 
the  sinner.  Had  all  the  angels  of  God  attempted  to 
stand  between  these  two  conflicting  seas,  they  would 
have  been  swept  to  the  gulf  of  destruction.  "The 
blood  of  bulls  and  goats,  on  Jewish  altars  slain," 
could  not  take  away  sin — could  not  pacify  the  con- 
science. But  Christ  the  gift  of  divine  Grace,  "Pas- 
chal Lamb  by  God  appointed,"  a  "sacrifice  of  nobler 
name  and  richer  blood  than  they,"  bore  our  sins  and 
carried  our  sorrows,  and  obtained  for  us  the  boon  of 
eternal  redemption.  He  met  the  fury  of  the  tempest, 
and  the  floods  went  over  his  head ;  but  his  offering 
was  an  offering  of  peace,  calming  the  storms  and  the 
waves,  magnifying  the  law,  glorifying  its  Author,  and 
rescuing  its  violator  from  wrath  and  ruin.  Justice 
hath  laid  down  his  sword  at  the  foot  of  the  cross,  and 
amity  is  restored  between  heaven  and  earth. 

Hither,   0  ye  guilty!    come  and  cast  away  your 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  345 

weapons  of  rebellion!  Come  with  your  bad  princi- 
ples and  ATicked  actions — your  unbelief,  and  enmity, 
and  pride,  and  throw  them  off  at  the  Redeemer's 
feet !  God  is  here,  waiting  to  be  gracious.  He  will 
receive  you — he  will  cast  all  your  sins  behind  his 
back,  into  the  depths  of  the  sea,  and  they  shall  be  re- 
membered against  you  no  more  forever.  By  Heaven's 
"  unspeakable  gift,"  by  Christ's  invaluable  atonement, 
by  the  free  and  infinite  grace  of  the  Father  and  the 
Son,  we  persuade  you,  we  beseech  you,  we  entreat 
you,  "be  ye  reconciled  to  God!" 

It  is  by  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  Avithin  us,  that 
we  obtain  a  personal  interest  in  the  work  wrought  on 
Calvary  for  us.  If  our  sins  are  canceled,  they  are 
also  crucified.  If  we  are  reconciled  in  Christ,  we 
fio;ht  ao-ainst  our  God  no  more.  This  is  the  fruit  of 
faith.  "  With  the  heart  man  believeth  unto  righteous- 
ness." May  the  Lord  inspire  in  every  one  of  us  that 
saving  principle ! 

But  those  who  have  been  restored  to  the  divine  fa- 
vor may  sometimes  be  cast  down  and  dejected.  They 
have  passed  through  the  sea,  and  sung  praises  on  the 
shore  of  deliverance,  but  there  is  yet  between  them 
and  Canaan  "  a  waste  howling  wilderness,"  a  long  and 
weary  pilgrimage,  hostile  nations,  fiery  serpents, 
scarcity  of  food,  and  the  river  Jordan.  Fears  within 
and  fightings  without;  they  may  grow  discouraged, 
and  yield  to  temptation,  and  murmur  against  God, 
and  desire  to  return  to  Egypt.  But  fear  not,  thou 
worm  Jacob!      Reconciled  by  the  death  of   Christ; 


346  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

much  more,  being  reconciled,  thou  shalt  be  saved  by 
his  life.  His  death  Avas  the  price  of  our  redemption; 
his  life  insures  liberty  to  the  believer.  If  by  his 
death  he  brought  you  through  the  Red  Sea  in  the 
night,  by  his  life  he  can  lead  you  through  the  river 
Jordan  in  the  day.  If  by  his  death  he  delivered  you 
from  the  iron  furnace  in  Egypt,  by  his  life  he  can 
save  you  from  all  the  perils  of  the  wilderness.  If  by 
his  death  he  conquered  Pharaoh,  the  chief  foe,  by  his 
life  he  can  subdue  Sihon,  King  of  the  Amorites,  and 
Og,  the  King  of  Bashan.  "  We  shall  be  saved  by  his 
life."  "Because  he  liveth,  we  shall  live  also."  "Be 
of  good  cheer!"  The  work  is  finished;  the  ransom 
is  effected;  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  opened  to  all 
believers.  "Lift  up  your  heads  and  rejoice,"  "ye 
prisoners  of  hope!"  There  is  no  debt  unpaid,  no 
devil  unconquered,  no  enemy  within  ^^our  own  hearts 
that  has  not  received  a  mortal  wound  !  "  Thanks  be 
unto  God,  who  giveth  us  the  victory,  through  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ!" 


SPDRGEON. 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  one  of  Spurgeon's 
sermons.     (Fourth  Series  :  Sheldon  &  Co.,  New  York.) 

"  Therefore  let  us  not  sleep,  as  do  others  ;   but  let  us  watch  and  Ic 
sober."     1  Thkss.  v,  C. 
?[;  ;;:  ;!'  ^i-  ;;:  ?Ji  jjc  j|j  ^ 

II.  Thus  I  have  occupied  a  great  deal  of  time  in 
explaining  the  first  point — What  was  the  sleep  which 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  347 

the  apostle  meant?  And  now  you  will  notice  that 
the  word  "therefore"  implies  that  there  are  certain 
REASONS  FOR  THIS.  I  shall  give  you  these  reasons  ; 
and  if  I  should  cast  them  somewhat  into  a  dramatic 
form,  you  must  not  wonder;  they  will  the  batter,  per- 
haps, be  remembered.  "  Therefore,"  says  the  apos- 
tle, '^'let  us  not  sleep." 

We  shall  first  look  at  the  chapter  itself  for  our  rea- 
sons. The  first  reason  precedes  the  text.  The  apos- 
tle tells  us  that  "  we  are  all  the  children  of  the  light 
and  of  the  day ;  therefore  let  us  not  sleep,  as  do  oth- 
ers." I  marvel  not  when,  as  I  walk  through  the 
streets  after  nightfall,  I  see  every  shop  closed,  and 
every  windoAV-blind  drawn  down ;  and  I  see  the  light 
in  the  upper  room,  significant  of  retirement  to  rest. 
I  wonder  not  that  a  half  an  hour  later  my  footfall 
startles  me,  and  I  find  none  in  the  streets.  Should  I 
ascend  the  staircase,  and  look  into  the  sleepers'  placid 
countenances,  I  should  not  wonder;  for  it  is  night, 
the  proper  time  for  sleep.  But  if,  some  morning,  at 
eleven  or  twelve  o'clock,  I  should  walk  down  the 
streets  and  find  myself  alone,  and  notice  every  shop 
closed,  and  every  house  straitly  shut  up,  and  hearken 
to  no  noise,  I  should  say,  "  'T  is  strange,  't  is  passing 
strange,  'tis  wonderful."  What  are  these  people  at? 
*T  is  day-time,  and  yet  they  are  all  asleep.  I  should 
be  inclined  to  seize  the  first  rapper  I  could  find  and 
give  a  double  knock,  and  rush  to  the  next  door  and 
ring  the  bell,  and  so  all  the  way  down  the  street;  or 
go  to  the  police  station,  and  wake  up  what  men  I  found 


J548  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

there,  and  bid  them  make  a  noise  in  the  street;  or  go 
for  the  fire-engine,  and  bid  the  firemen  rattle  down 
the  road  and  try  to  wake  these  people  up.  For  I 
should  say  to  myself,  "There  is  some  pestilence  here; 
the  angel  of  death  must  have  flown  through  these 
streets,  during  the  night,  and  killed  all  these  people, 
or  else  they  would  have  been  sure  to  have  been 
awake."  Sleep  in  the  day-time  is  utterly  incongru- 
ous. "Well,  now,"  says  the  apostle  Paul,  "ye  peo- 
ple of  God,  it  is  day-time  with  you ;  the  Sun  of 
righteousness  has  risen  upon  you  with  healing  in  his 
wings;  the  light  of  God's  Spirit  is  in  your  conscience; 
ye  have  been  brought  out  of  darkness  into  marvelous 
light ;  for  you  to  be  asleep,  for  a  Church  to  slumber, 
is  like  a  city  abed  in  the  day,  like  a  whole  town 
slumbering  when  the  sun  is  shining.  It  is  untimely 
and  unseemly." 

And  now,  if  you  look  to  the  text  again,  you  will  find 
there  is  another  argument.  "  Let  us,  who  are  of  the 
day,  be  sober,  putting  on  the  breastplate  of  faith  and 
love."  So,  then,  it  seems,  it  is  war-time;  and  therefore, 
again,  it  is  unseemly  to  slumber.  There  is  a  fortress, 
yonder,  far  away  in  India.  A  troop  of  those  abomi- 
nable Sepoys  have  surrounded  it.  Bloodthirsty  hell 
hounds,  if  they  once  gain  admission,  they  will  rend 
the  mother  and  her  children,  and  cut  the  strong  man 
in  pieces.  They  are  at  the  gates:  their  cannon  are 
loaded,  their  bayonets  thirst  for  blood,  and  their 
swords  arc  hungry  to  slay.  Go  through  the  fortress, 
and  the  people  are  all  asleep.      There  is  the  warder 


PULPIT     OUATORS.  349 

on  the  tower,  nodding  on  his  bayonet.  There  is  the 
captain  in  his  tent,  with  his  pen  in  his  hand,  and  his 
dispatches  before  him,  asleep  at  the  table.  There 
are  soldiers  lying  down  in  their  tents,  ready  for  the 
war,  but  all  slumbering.  There  is  not  a  man  to  be 
seen  keeping  watch ;  there  is  not  a  sentry  there.  All 
are  asleep.  Why,  my  friends,  you  would  say,  "  What- 
ever is  the  matter  here?  What  can  it  be?  Has  some 
great  wizard  been  waving  his  wand,  and  put  a  spell 
upon  them  all  ?  Or  are  they  all  mad  ?  Have  their 
minds  fled?  Sure,  to  be  asleep  in  war-time  is  indeed 
outrageous.  Here!  take  down  that  trumpet;  go 
close  up  to  the  captain's  ear,  and  blow  a  blast,  and 
see  if  it  docs  not  awake  him  in  a  moment.  Just  take 
away  that  bayonet  from  the  soldier  that  is  asleep  on 
the  walls,  and  give  him  a  sharp  prick  with  it,  and  see 
if  he  does  not  awake."  But  surely,  surely,  nobody 
can  have  patience  with  people  asleep,  when  the  enemy 
surround  the  walls  and  are  thundering  at  the  gates. 

Now,  Christians,  this  is  your  case.  Your  life  is  a 
life  of  warfare ;  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil — 
that  hellish  trinity — and  your  poor  flesh  is  a  wretched 
mudwork  behind  which  to  be  intrenched.  Are  you 
asleep?  Asleep,  w^hen  Satan  has  fire-balls  of  lust  to 
hurl  into  the  windows  of  your  eyes — when  he  has  ar- 
rows of  temptation  to  shoot  into  your  heart — when  he 
has  snares  into  which  to  trap  your  feet?  Asleep, 
when  he  has  undermined  your  very  existence,  and 
when  he  is  about  to  apply  the  match  with  which  to 
destroy  you,  unless  sovereign    grace  prevents?      O, 


350  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

sleep  not,  soldier  of  the  cross !  To  sleep  in  war-time 
is  utterly  inconsistent.  Great  Spirit  of  God,  forbid 
that  we  should  slumber. 

But  now,  leaving  the  chapter  itself,  I  will  give  you 
one  or  two  other  reasons  that  will,  I  trust,  move 
Christian  people  to  awake  out  of  their  sleep.  ''Bring 
out  your  dead!  Bring  out  your  dead!  Bring  out 
your  dead  !^'  Then  comes  the  ringing  of  a  bell. 
What  is  this?  Here  is  a  door  marked  with  a  great 
white  cross.  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  us!  All  the 
houses  down  that  street  seem  to  be  marked  with  that 
white  death  cross.  What  is  this  ?  Here  is  the  grass 
growing  in  the  streets  ;  here  are  Cornhill  and  Cheap- 
side  deserted ;  no  one  is  found  treading  the  solitary 
pavement ;  there  is  not  a  sound  to  be  heard  but  those 
horse-hoofs  like  the  hoofs  of  death's  pale  horse  upon 
the  stones,  the  ringing  of  that  bell  that  sounds  the 
death-knell  to  many,  and  the  rumbling  of  the  wheels 
of  that  cart,  and  the  dreadful  cry,  "  Bring  out  your 
dead!  Bring  out  your  dead !  Bring  out  your  dead!" 
Do  you  see  that  house?  A  physician  lives  there. 
He  is  a  man  who  has  great  skill,  and  God  has  lent 
him  wisdom.  But  a  little  while  ago,  while  in  his 
study,  God  was  pleased  to  guide  his  mind,  and  he  dis- 
covered the  secret  of  the  plague.  He  was  plague- 
smitten  himself,  and  ready  to  die ;  but  he  lifted  the 
blessed  phial  to  his  lips,  and  he  drank  a  draught  and 
cured  himself.  Do  you  believe  what  I  am  about  to 
tell  you?  Can  you  imagine  it?  That  man  has  the 
prescription  that  will  heal  all  these  people ;  he  nas  u 


PULPIT    OKATORS.  351 

iij  his  pocket.  He  has  the  medicine  which,  if  once 
distributed  in  those  streets,  would  make  the  sick  re- 
joice, and  put  that  dead-man's  bell  away.  And  he  is 
asleep!  He  is  asleep!  He  is  asleep!  0  ye  heavens! 
why  do  ye  not  fall  and  crush  the  wretch  ?  0  earth  ! 
how  couldst  thou  bear  this  demon  upon  thy  bosom? 
Why  not  swallow  him  up  quick  ?  He  has  the  medi- 
cine ;  he  is  too  lazy  to  go  and  tell  forth  the  remedy. 
He  has  the  cure,  and  is  too  idle  to  go  out  and  admin- 
ister it  to  the  sick  and  dying  !  No,  my  friends,  such 
an  inhuman  wretch  could  not  exist!  But  I  can  see 
him  here  to-day.  There  are  you !  You  know  the 
world  is  sick  with  the  plague  of  sin,  and  you  yourself 
have  been  cured  by  the  remedy  which  has  been  pro- 
vided. You  are  asleep,  inactive,  loitering.  You  do 
not  go  forth  to 

"  Tell  to  others  round, 
What  a  dear  Savior  you  have  found." 

There  is  the  precious  Gospel ;  you  do  not  go  and  put 
it  to  the  lips  of  a  sinner.  There  is  the  all-precious 
blood  of  Christ;  you  never  go  to  tell  the  dying  what 
they  must  do  to  be  saved.  The  world  is  perishing 
with  worse  than  plague  ;  and  you  are  idle !  And  you 
are  a  minister  of  the  Gospel ;  and  you  have  taken 
that  holy  office  upon  yourself;  and  you  are  content 
to  preach  twice  on  a  Sunday,  and  once  on  a  week-day, 
and  there  is  no  remonstrance  within  you.  You  never 
desire  to  attract  the  multitudes  to  hear  you  preach  ; 
you  had  rather  keep  your  empty  benches,  and  study 
propriety,  than  you  would  once,  at  the  risk  of  appear- 


352  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

ing  overzealous,  draw  the  multitude  and  preach  the 
word  to  them.  You  are  a  writer  ;  you  have  great 
power  in  writing;  you  devote  your  talents  alone  to 
light  literature,  or  to  the  production  of  other  things 
which  may  furnish  amusement,  but  which  can  not 
benefit  the  soul.  You  know  the  truth,  but  you  do  not 
tell  it  out.  Yonder  mother  is  a  converted  woman; 
you  have  children,  and  you  forget  to  instruct  them  in 
the  way  to  heaven.  You,  yonder,  are  a  young  man, 
having  nothing  to  do  on  the  Sabbath-day,  and  there  is 
the  Sunday  school;  you  do  not  go  to  tell  those  chil- 
dren the  sovereign  remedy  that  God  has  provided  for 
the  cure  of  sick  souls.  The  death-bell  is  ringing  e'en 
now ;  hell  is  crying  out,  howling  with  hunger  for  the 
souls  of  men.  "Bring  out  the  sinner!  Bring  out 
the  sinner!  Bring  out  the  sinner!  Let  him  die  and 
be  damned !"  And  there  are  you,  professing  to  be  a 
Christian,  and  doing  nothing  which  might  make  you 
the  instrument  of  saving  souls — never  putting  out 
your  hand  to  be  the  means,  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord, 
of  plucking  sinners  as  brands  from  the  burning  I  0, 
may  the  blessing  of  God  rest  on  you,  to  turn  you  from 
such  an  evil  way,  that  you  may  not  sleep  as  do  others, 
but  mny  watch  and  be  sober!  The  world's  innninent 
danger  demands  that  we  should  be  active  and  not  be 
slumbering. 

Hark  how  the  mast  creaks  !  See  the  sails  there, 
rent  to  ribbons.  Breakers  ahead  !  She  will  be  on  the 
rocks  directly-  "Where  is  the  captain  ?  Where  is  the 
boatswain  ?     Where    arc    the    sailors  ?     Ahoy   there  I 


PULPIT    ORATORS.  85-:) 

VYhere  are  you  ?  Here  's  a  storm  come  on.  Yf  her c 
are  you  ?  You  are  down  in  the  cabin.  And  there  is 
the  captain  in  a  soft,  sweet  slumber.  There  is  the 
man  at  the  wheel,  as  sound  asleep  as  ever  he  can 
be ;  and  there  are  all  the  sailors  in  their  hammocks. 
What !  and  the  breakers  ahead  ?  Wbat !  the  lives  of 
two  hundred  passengers  in  danger,  and  here  are  these 
brutes  asleep?  Kick  them  out.  What  is  the  good 
of  letting  such  men  as  these  be  sailors,  in  such  a  time 
as  this  especially  ?  Why,  out  with  you !  If  you  had 
gone  to  sleep  in  fine  weather  we  might  have  forgiven 
you.  Up  with  you,  captain  !  What  have  you  been 
at?  Are  you  mad?  But  hark  !  the  ship  has  struck; 
she  will  be  down  in  a  moment.  Now  you  will  work, 
will  you?  JSTow  you  will  work,  when  it  is  of  no  use,  and 
when  the  shrieks  of  drovaiing  women  shall  toll  you  into 
hell  for  your  most  accursed  negligence  in  not  having 
taken  care  of  them.  Well,  that  is  very  much  like  a 
great  many  of  us,  in  these  times  too. 

Tnis  proud  ship  of  our  commonwealth  is  reeling  in 
a  storm  of  sin ;  the  very  mast  of  this  great  nation  is 
creaking  under  the  hurricane  of  vice  that  sweeps 
across  the  noble  vessel ;  every  timber  is  strained,  and 
God  help  the  good  ship,  or,  alas !  none  can  save  her. 
And  wdio  are  her  captain  and  her  sailors,  but  minis- 
ters of  God,  the  professors  of  religion  ?  These  are 
they  to  whom  God  gives  grace  to  steer  the  ship. 
"Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth  ;"  ye  preserve  and  keep 
it  alive,  0  children   of  God.     Are   ye   asleep  in  the 

fitorm  ?     Are  ye  slumbering  now  ?     If  there  were  no 

30 


354  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

dens  of  vice,  if  there  were  no  harlots,  if  there  were 
no  houses  of  profanity,  if  there  were  no  murders  and 
no  crimes,  0,  ye  that  are  the  salt  of  the  earth,  ye 
might  sleep  :  but  to-day  the  sin  of  London  crieth  in 
the  ears  of  God.  This  behemoth  city  is  covered  with 
crime,  and  God  is  ^exed  with  her.  And  are.  we 
asleep,  doing  nothing  ?  Then  God  forgive  us  !  But 
sure  of  all  the  sins  he  ever  doth  forgive,  this  is  the 
greatest,  the  sin  of  slumbering  when  a  world  is  dam- 
ning— the  sin  of  being  idle  when  Satan  is  busy,  devour- 
ing the  souls  of  men.  ''Brethren,  let  us  not  sleep" 
in  such  times  as  these ;  for  if  we  do,  a  curse  must  fall 
upon  us,  hoi^i'ible  to  bear. 

There  is  a.  poor  prisoner  in  a  cell.  His  hair  is  all 
matted  over  his  eyes.  A  few  weeks  ago  the  judge 
put  on  the  black  cap,  and  commanded  that  he  should 
be  taken  to  the  place  from  whence  he  came,  and  hung 
by  the  neck  till  dead.  The  poor  wretch  has  his  heart 
broken  within  him,  while  he  thinks  of  the  pinion,  of 
the 'gallows,  and  of  the  drop,  and  of  after-death.  0, 
who  can  tell  how  his  heart  is  rent  and  racked,  while 
he  thinks  of  leaving  all,  and  going  he  knoweth  not 
where!  There  is  a  man  there,  sound  asleep  upon  a 
bed.  lie  has  been  asleep  there  these  two  days,  and 
under  his  pillow  he  has  that  prisoner's  free  pardon.  I 
would  horsewhip  that  scoundrel,  horsewhip  him  sound- 
ly, for  making  that  poor  man  have  two  days  of  extra 
misery.  Why,  if  I  had  had  that  mail's  pardon,  I 
would  have  been  there,  if  I  rode  on  the  wings  of  light- 
ning to  get  at  him,  and  T  sliould  have  thought  the 


PULPIT    ORATORS.  355 

fastest  train  that  ever  run  but  slow,  if  I  had  so  sweet 
a  message  to  carry,  and  such  a  poor  heavy  heart  to 
carry  it  to.  But  that  man,  that  brute,  is  sound  asleep, 
with  a  free  pardon  under  his  pillow,  while  that  poor 
wretch's  heart  is  breaking  with  dismay !  Ah !  do  not 
be  too  hard  with  him:  he  is  here  to-day.  Side  by 
side  with  you  this  morning  there  is  sitting  a  poor 
penitent  sinner ;  God  has  pardoned  him,  and  intends 
that  you  should  tell  him  that  good  news.  He  sat  by 
your  side  last  Sunday,  and  he  wept  all  the  sermon 
through,  for  he  felt  his  guilt.  If  you  had  spoken  to 
•him  then,  who  can  tell  ?  He  might  have  had  comfort ; 
but  there  he  is  now — you  do  not  tell  him  the  good 
news.  Do  you  leave  that  to  me  to  do?  Ah !  sirs, 
but  you  can  not  serve  God  by  proxy;  what  the  minis- 
ter does  is  naught  to  you ;  you  have  your  own  personal 
duty  to  do,  and  God  has  given  you  a  precious  prom- 
ise. It  is  now  on  your  heart.  Will  you  not  turn 
round  to  your  next  neighbor,  and  tell  him  that  prom- 
ise? 0,  there  is  many  an  aching  heart  that  aches 
because  of  our  idleness  in  telling  the  good  news  of  this 
salvation.  "  Yes,"  says  one  of  my  members,  who 
always  comes  to  this  place  on  a  Sunday,  and  looks 
out  for  young  men  and  young  women  wdiom  he  has 
seen  in  tears  the  Sunday  before,  and  who  brings  many 
into  the  Church,  ''yes,  I  could  tell  you  a  story." 
He  looks  a  young  man  in  the  face,  and  says,  "  Have  n't 
I  seen  you  here  a  great  many  times?"  ''Yes."  "I 
think  you  take  a  deep  interest  in  the  service,  do  you 
not  ?"     "  Yes,  I  do :    what  makes  you  ask  me  that 


r;56  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

question?"  ''Because  I  looked  at  your  face  lest 
Sunday,  and  I  tliougljt  there  was  something  at  work 
v;ith  you."  *'0,  sir,"  he  says,  "  nobody  has  spohen 
to  mc  ever  since  I  have  been  here  till  now,  and  I  want 
to  say  a  word  to  you.  When  I  was  at  home  vnth 
my  mother,  I  used  to  think  I  had  some  idea  of  relig- 
ion ;  but  I  came  away,  and  v/as  bound  apprentice  with 
an  ungodly  lot  of  youths,  and  have  done  every  thing 
I  ought  not  to  have  done.  And  now,  sir,  I  begin  to 
weep,  I  begin  to  repent.  I  wish  to  God  that  I  knew 
how  I  might  be  saved  !  I  liear  the  vrord  preached, 
sir,  but  I  want  something  spoken  personally  to  me  by 
somebody."  And  he  turns  round;  he  takes  him  by 
the  hand,  and  says,  "  My  dear  young  brother,  I  am  so 
glad  I  spoke  to  you;  it  makes  my  poor  old  heart 
rejoice  to  think  that  the  Lord  is  doing  something  here 
still.  Now,  do  not  be  cast  down;  for  you  know, 
*  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  accepta- 
tion, that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save 
sinners.'  "  The  young  man  puts  his  handkerchief  to 
his  eyes,  and  after  a  minute,  lie  says,  "  I  wish  you 
would  let  me  call  and  see  you,  sir."  "  0,  you  may," 
he  says.  lie  talks  with  him,  he  leads  him  onvrard, 
and  at  last  by  God's  grace  the  happy  youth  comes 
forward  and  declares  what  God  has  done  for  his  soul, 
and  owes  his  salvation  as  much  to  the  humble  instru- 
mentality of  the  man  that  helped  him  as  he  could  do 
to  the  preaching  of  tjic  minister. 

Beloved  brethren,  the  Bridegroom  cometh  !    Awake  1 
Awake!     The  earth  must  soon  be  dissolved,  and  the 


PULPIT     OPvATOKS.  857 

^  avens  must  molt  I  Av/ake  !  Awake !  0  Holj  Spirit, 
arouse  us  all,  and  keep  us  av/ake. 

III.  And  now  I  have  no  time  for  the  last  point,  and, 
therefore,  I  shall  not  detain  jou.  Suffice  me  to  say 
in  Avarning,  there  is  AX  evil  iiEPtE  lamented.  There 
are  some  that  are  asleep,  and  the  apostle  mourns  it. 

Mj  fellow-sinner,  thou  that  art  this  day  unconverted, 
let  me  say  six  or  seven  sentences  to  thee,  and  thou 
shalt  depart.  Unconverted  man  !  unconverted  woman  ! 
you  are  asleep  to-day,  as  they  that  sleep  on  the  top  of 
the  mast  in  time  of  storm ;  you  are  asleep,  as  he  that 
sleeps  when  the  water  floods  are  out,  and  when  his 
house  is  undermined  and  being  carried  down  the 
stream  far  out  to  sea;  you  are  asleep,  as  he  who  in 
the  upper  chamber,  when  his  house  is  burning  and  his 
own  locks  are  sin2;einsr  in  the  fire,  knows  not  the  de- 
vastation  around  him ;  you  are  asleep — asleep  as  he 
that  lies  upon  the  edge  of  a  precipice,  with  death  and 
destruction  beneath  him.  One  single  start  in  his 
sleep  would  send  him  over,  but  he  knows  it  not.  Thou 
art  asleep  this  day;  and  the  place  where  thou  sleepest 
has  so  frail  a  support  that  when  once  it  breaks  thou 
shalt  fall  into  hell:  and  if  thou  v/akest  not  till  then, 
what  a  waking  it  will  be  !  ''  In  hell  he  lifted  up  his 
eyes,  being  in  torment ;"  and  he  cried  for  a  drop  of 
water,  but  it  was  denied  him.  ^^  He  that  believeth  in 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  is  baptized,  shall  be  saved; 
he  that  believeth  not,  shall  be  damned."  This  is  the 
Gospel.  Believe  ye  in  Jesus,  and  ye  shall  ''rejoice 
with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory." 


858        THE  MODEL  PREACHER 


C  AUGH  E  Y. 

Take  as  a  specimen  of  Caugliey's  preaciang  hia 
sermon  on 

THE      OMNIPOTENCE       OF      FAITH. 

"  Therefore  I  say  ixnto  you,  What  things  soever  yo  desire  when  ye 
pray,  believe  that  ye  receive  them,  and  ye  shall  have  them." 
Mark  xi,  24. 

The  congregation  will  recollect  that  these  words 
were  spoken  by  the  Savior  as  he  was  passing  from 
the  Mount  of  Olives  to  Jerusalem.  By  the  wayside 
he  saw  a  fig-tree  which  looked  beautiful,  and  doubtless 
gave  signs  of  fruit  upon  it;  and  being  hungry,  he 
looked  up  among  the  leaves  for  fruit,  but  there  was 
none,  and  he  said,  "No  man  eat  fruit  of  thee  hence- 
forth forever."  He  killed  the  tree,  but  taught  a  great 
doctrine.  The  next  morning,  as  Christ  and  his  dis- 
ciples v/ere  passing  by,  Peter  remembered  that  the 
tree  had  been  cursed:  he  looked  at  it,  and  said, 
"Master,  it  is  withered" — withered  from  top  to  bot- 
tom— dried  up  from  the  roots — cursed.  Jesus  said 
unto  them,  "Have  faith  in  God;  for  verily  I  say  unto 
you,  That  whosoever  shall  say  unto  this  mountain,  Be 
thou  removed,  and  be  thou  cast  into  the  sea,  and  shall 
not  doubt  in  his  heart,  but  shall  believe  that  those 
things  which  he  saith  shall  come  to  pass,  he  shall 
have  whatsoever  he  saith.  Therefore  I  say  unto 
3^ou,  What  things  soever  ye  desire  when  ye  pray, 
believe    that    ye    receive    them,    and   ye    shall    have 


PULPIT     OP.ATORS.  359 

them."  I  should  like  to  say  to  this  audience,  that 
whenever  our  Savior  said,  "Verilj,  verily,''  he  was 
about  to  deliver  some  very  important  truth.  He  was 
■now  teaching  the  omnipotence  of  faith. 

In  Manchester,  within  the  last  few  days,  many 
things  have  been  said  about  sudden  conversion.  An 
old  lady  said  to  mo,  "Why,  Mr.  C,  I  hear  that  you 
are  converting  them  by  scores  and  by  hundreds.  I 
do  n't  understand  this  sudden  conversion."  I  answer, 
there  is  no  such  a  thing  in  the  Scriptures  as  gradual 
conversion  or  gradual  purity;  there  must  be  a  last 
moment  when  sin  exists,  and  a  first  moment  when  it 
does  not ;  and  this  must  take  place  in  time,  for  one 
moment  after  death  would  be  too  late,  unless  w^e  be- 
lieve in  purgator3^  Pardon  and  purity  are  doctrines 
clearly  taught  in  the  Bible,  and,  in  the  very  nature  of 
things,  they  must  be  sudden  in  their  attainment.  Our 
text  is  the  great  polar-star  of  our  salvation.  You 
Avill  remember  it  is  recorded  in  the  Life  of  Napoleon, 
when  he  was  contemplating  the  Russian  campaign, 
his  uncle,  Cardinal  Fesch,  endeavored  to  dissuade  him 
from  it.  Napoleon's  words  are  these:  "Am  I  to 
blame  because  the  great  degree  of  power  I  have 
already  attained  forces  me  to  assume  the  dictatorship 
of  the  world  ?  My  destiny  is  not  yet  accomplished ; 
my  present  situation  is  but  a  sketch  of  the  picture 
which  I  must  finish.  There  must  be  one  universal 
European  code — one  court  of  appeal.  The  same 
money,  the  same  weights  and  measures,  the  same 
laws,  rnust  have  currency  throughout  Europe.     I  must 


360  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

make  one  nation  out  of  all  the  European  states,  and 
Paris  must  be  the  capital  of  the  world.'"'  His  uncle 
remonstrated  with  him,  and  conjured  him  not  to  tempt 
Providence — not  to  defy  heaven  and  earth,  the  v^^rath 
of  man,  and  the  fury  of  the  elements:  at  the  same 
time  he  also  expressed  his  fear  that  he  would  sink  un- 
der the  difficulties.  The  only  answer  vrhich  Napoleon 
gave  was  in  keeping  with  his  character.  He  led  the 
Cardinal  to  the  window,  and  opening  the  casement,  he 
pointed  upward,  and  asked  him,  ^'If  he  saw  yonder 
star  ?"  "No,  sire,"  answered  the  astonished  Cardinal. 
"  But  I  see  it,"  answered  Napoleon.  We  point  you  to 
our  text  as  the  great  polar-star  of  faith — the  great 
charter  for  believing,  containing  a  principle  on  which 
slum.bers  omnipotence — as  the  medium  that  links  man 
to  the  throne  of  the  great  Eternal,  connecting  man 
with  God. 

Archimedes,  when  he  discovered  the  power  of  the 
lever,  said,  "  If  you  can  find  me  a  fulcrum  to  rest  my 
lever  upon,  I  can  move  the  world."  "  What  is  a  ful- 
crum?" says  one.  I  answer,  a  point  or  center  on 
which  a  lever  turns.  "  And  what  is  a  lever?"  I  an- 
swer, a  bar,  or  mechanical  power  by  which  great 
weights  are  moved. 

Our  text  is  the  fulcrum — faith  is  the  lever;  and  with 
it  we  can  move  two  worlds  at  once,  and  hell  into  the 
bargain.  "  What  things  soever  ye  desire  when  ye  pray, 
believe  that  ye  receive  them,  and  ye  shall  have  them." 

Before  we  discuss  this  subject,  we  want  to  ask  a 
few    questions.     There    are,   perhaps,   persons   here 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  361 

belonging  to  other  denominations.  You  may  be 
Calvinists,  and  as  good,  I  hope,  as  any  of  us.  You 
may,  however,  differ  from  me  on  doctrinal  points;  and, 
to  do  you  good,  I  should  have  to  argue  with  you  half 
an  hour,  and  then  perhaps  leave  you  as  I  found  you. 
Well,  I  leave  all  controversy  with  the  pastors;  but  I 
want  to  beg  just  two  things  of  you :  First,  go  with  me 
as  far  as  you  can ;  and  the  second  is,  get  all  the  good 
you  can. 

There  are  also  some  backsliders  here.  Are  you 
willing  to  come  back?  "Yes,"  says  one,  "I  am,  I 
am;  for  I  have  had  a  miserable  life  of  it." 

And  you  who  are  seeking  pardon,  I  want  to  ask 
you  a  question.  "Pardon!"  says  one;  "why,  my 
heart  is  as  hard  as  a  flint."  Well,  if  God  shall  convert 
your  soul  before  I  leave  this  place,  will  you  meet  me 
in  the  school-room  at  the  close  of  this  service  to  let  me 
know  it  ?     Will  you  do  it  ?     Well,  I  believe  you  will. 

And  you  who  are  seeking  the  witness  of  the  Spirit 
and  purity  of  heart,  if  God  shall  purify  your  heart 
before  I  leave  this  place,  will  you  meet  me  at  the  close 
of  this  service  and  let  me  know  it?  You  will  all  do 
it,  will  you  ?  Well,  I  will  trust  to  your  honor.  Says 
one,  "  Then  you  are  expecting  souls  to  be  saved  be- 
fore you  leave  the  pulpit,  are  you  ?"  I  am,  I  am  ex- 
pecting it;  and  heaven  expects  it,  and  hell  expects  it. 
I  believe  we  shall  have  souls  saved  ere  I  leave  this 
place.  Lord,  help!  Holy  Ghost,  help!  "What 
things  soever  ye  desire  when  ye  pray,  believe  that  ye 

receive  them,  and  ye  shall  have  them." 
31 


862  THE    MODEL    PREACH  Ell! 

I.  Is  THERE  ANY  DIFEEREXCE  BETWEEN  FAITH  AND 
BELIEVING  ? 

I  answer,  3^cs;  just  as  much  as  between  water  at 
rest  and  water  in  motion — wind  at  rest  and  wind  in 
motion.  Believing  is  the  application  of  faith  to  some 
truth.  Believing  is  faith  in  motion.  There  may  be 
ever  so  much  faith,  and  no  believing.  It  is  not 
enough  that  there  be  a  general  conviction  that  God  is 
true;  that  the  Bible  is  a  revelation  from  him;  that 
the  invisible  things  of  which  the  Bible  speaks  are  re- 
alities :  there  may  be  all  this,  and  yet  no  salvation. 
God  has  given  us  his  testimony  that  Jesus  Christ  died 
a  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  every  man,  and,  conse- 
quently, for  me.  Faith,  then,  is  putting  confidence 
in  God's  testimony;  it  is  to  be  understood  in  a  plain, 
common-sense  way.  The  Bible  was  written  for  the 
people — the  common  people — the  mass;  and  if  God 
has  not  meant  the  word  faith  to  be  understood  in  a 
common-sense  way,  he  would  have  prefaced  the  Bible 
with  a  dictionary,  and  have  explained  the  nature  of 
believing;  but,  as  there  is  no  such  an  explanation 
given,  we  infer  that  we  are  to  understand  it  just  as  it 
is  understood  in  ordinary  language  among  men.  As 
to  the  mystery  of  faith,  there  is  no  mystery  about  it. 
Just  put  confidence  in  God  as  you  would  in  a  friend. 
Unbelief  is  the  great  sin  of  the  age — the  sin  that 
shuts  up  heaven — the  plague-spot  of  eternal  death  on 
the  soul — the  sinner's  mittimus  to  hell,  written  in  hii 
heart — the  sin  that  damns  the  sotd.  On  the  other 
liand,  faith  opens  the  hand  of  God,  secures  salvation, 


PULPIT    ORATORS.  863 

conquers  hell,  and  places  the  soul  on  the  throne  of 
God.  Believing,  then,  is  faith  in  motion — faith  lay- 
ing hold  on  the  testimony  of  God. 

II.    Is  FAITH  THE  GIFT  OF  GoD  ? 

There  is  a  great  deal  of  controversy  in  the  world  on 
this  question — in  America,  in  England,  and  especially 
in  Scotland.  Is  faith  the  gift  of  God,  or  is  it  not  ? 
I  answer,  every  thing  that  is  good  in  man  is  from 
God ;  and  every  thing  that  is  bad  in  him  is  from  the 
devil  and  himself.  I  am  exceedingly  jealous  of  every 
thing  that  seems  to  rob  God  of  a  particle  of  the  glory 
of  a  sinner's  salvation.  But  in  what  sense  is  faith  the 
gift  of  God  ?  I  answer,  believing  is  the  gift  of  the 
God  of  grace,  just  in  the  same  sense  as  breathing, 
walking,  eating,  hearing,  seeing,  are  the  gifts  of  the 
God  of  nature.  It  is  plain  to  every  man's  common- 
sense,  that  while  the  power  to  perform  these  acts  is 
from  God,  the  acts  themselves  are  purely  his  own. 
As  God  does  not  breathe,  walk,  eat,'  hear,  see  for  us, 
neither  does  he  believe  for  us.  God  has  given  man  a 
capacity  to  believe;  namely,  a  mind  to  weigh  evi- 
dence, and  to  receive  truth  when  supported  by  evi- 
dence. He  has  given  the  object  of  faith;  namely, 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  is  like  a  great  sun  risen 
upon  our  world. 

We  infer  then,  as  God  has  given  the  capacity,  the 
evidence,  the  object,  and  as  he  has  laid  the  responsi- 
bility on  man,  as  the  sentence  of  the  last  judgment 
tarns  on  this  point,  as  salvation  or  damnation  is  sus- 
f»ended  on  believing  or  non-believing,  the  act  of  faith 


364  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

must  be  possible — must  be  a  man's  own.  0,  hoTV 
important  it  is  that  you  understand  what  is  God's 
part,  and  Avhat  is  your  part  in  this  matter  ! — that  you 
should  see  the  folly  of  indulging  in  unbelief,  under 
the  delusion  that  God  has  not  given  you  faith  !  How 
many  on  this  vital  point  have  been  deceived!  How 
many  of  the  slain  has  the  grave  closed  over !  How 
many,  as  they  rushed  into  eternity,  and  as  the  gleams 
of  immortal  light  flashed  upon  them,  and  dispelled 
the  delusions  that  ruined  them,  uttered  a  deatJi-howl, 
went  dotvn  damned^  and  more  than  blood  was  shed! 
What  could  God  have  done  to  enable  you  to  believe, 
that  he  has  not  done  ?  If  all  things  be  ready,  then, 
why  tarry?  Why  wait?  Believe  and  be  saved. 
"  What  things  soever  ye  desire  when  ye  pray,  believe 
that  ye  receive  them,  and  ye  shall  have  them." 

III.  How  CAN  YOU  ACCOUNT  FOR  IT,  THAT  THERE  IS 
IN  SOME  A  GREATER  APTNESS  TO  BELIEVE  THAN  IN 
OTHERS  ? 

Some  account  for  it  on  the  ground  of  constitutional 
differences.  I  don't  believe  a  w^ord  of  it;  I  don't 
believe  that  one  man  is  born  with  greater  constitu- 
tional tendency  to  believe  than  another.  Others 
account  for  it  on  the  ground  of  divine  partiality.  I 
answer,  there  is  no  partiality  in  God,  except  such  as 
you  make  yourselves.  God  is  partial  to  them  thaf 
believe  his  word;  hence  it  is  written,  "He  that  be- 
licveth  shall  be  saved."  We  may,  in  some  measure, 
account  for  this  inaptncss  to  believe,  on  the  ground 
of  the  pride  of  intellect.     "0!"  says  one,  "I  am  not' 


PULPIT     ORATOES.  365 

like  one  of  the  simple  herd  of  mankind,  ^vho  can  re- 
ceive for  truth  every  silly  notion  announced  to  them. 
1  must  have  evidence — good,  sound  argument;  I  must 
be  convinced  before  I  can  believe."  ^' Well,"  say  you, 
"do  you  despise  me  for  that?"  No;  I  honor  a  think- 
ing man;  but  you  pride  yourself  above  the  common 
mass,  and  you  Avill  not  come  down  to  receive  God's 
plain,  simple  testimony.  God  says,  "What  things 
soever  ye  desire  when  ye  pray,  believe  that  ye  receive 
them,  and  ye  shall  have  them,"  and  you  refuse  to 
believe  this  testimony.  "Well,"  says  another,  "some 
have  a  weak  faith,  and  some  a  strong  faith;  how  do 
you  account  for  that?"  I  answer,  the  one  has  an 
exercised  faith,  and  the  other  has  a  non-exercised 
faith,  and  that  is  the  reason  why  there  is  a  greater 
aptness  to  believe  in  one  than  in  another.  Look  yon- 
der at  that  blacksmith,  wielding  the  heavy  sledge- 
hamm.er  from  hour  to  hour,  and  that  without  any 
injury  or  inconvenience.  Were  you  to  labor  with 
that  hammer  for  one  half  an  hour,  you  would  be  so 
stiif  the  next  morning  that  you  would  scarcely  be 
able  to  lift  your  hand  to  your  head ;  but  the  black- 
smith is  up  and  at  it,  the  next  morning,  as  lively  as 
ever;  exercise  has  made  the  difference.  Take  another 
illustration.  Suppose  a  mother  to  bandage  her  son 
till  he  is  thirteen  years  old,  beginning  at  his  feet, 
bandaging  him  up  clear  to  his  chin,  like  an  Egyptian 
mummy.  At  the  age  of  thirteen  she  removes  the 
bandage,  and  says,  "Now,  my  son,  run  forth  and  play 
with   other   children."     Why,  it   can  not  move;   its 


366  THE    MODEL    PREACHER, 

joints  are  stiff;  it  is  a  complete  cripple.  Ah,  some 
of  you  have  been  in  bandages  all  your  life ;  you  are 
spiritual  cripples.  Glory  be  to  GdcI,  if  you  will  but 
believe,  he  will  set  your  joints  all  right,  and  put 
strength  in  your  "limbs.  "  What  things  soever  ye 
desire  when  ye  pray,  believe  that  ye  receive  them, 
and  ye  shall  have  them."  What  does  another  mother 
do  with  her  w^eakly  child  ?  Why,  she  sets  him  on  his 
feet,  and  holds  out  one  finger  to  him,  and  says, 
"Now,  my  dear,  try."  Down  he  tumbles.  She  sets 
liim  up  again — "  Come,  come,  my  son,  try,  try  again." 
(Ah,  you  see  he  is  very  weakly  yet!)  He  tries  again, 
and  down  he  goes.  "  Come,  come,  my  son;  try  once 
more.  There,  now — that 's  better."  Soon  he  reaches 
from  chair  to  chair,  and  if  you  do  n't  take  care  of 
him,  he  is  out  of  doors  among  the  wheels.  That 
mother  knows  the  philosophy  of  getting  strength. 
He  gets  strength.  "Whatsoever  things  ye  desire 
when  ye  pray,  believe  that  ye  receive  them,  and  ye 
shall  have  them." 

IV.  Are  the  objects  of  faith  limited  ? 

Can  I  believe  for  what  I  like  and  have  it?  I 
answer,  no;  on  temporal  matters  you  must  put  in  an 
if.  I  was  coming,  the  other  day,  from  Ireland,  in  a 
steamer ;  I  generally  suffer  dreadfully  from  seasick- 
ness. I  therefore  asked  the  Lord  to  let  us  have  a 
calm  sea;  yet  I  did  not  know  but  that  many  ships 
might  be  lying  outside  the  port  loaded  with  corn,  and 
would  want  a  wind  to  blow  them  up  to  give  food  to 
the  starving  people,  and  I  would  not  have  the  peoplo 


PULPIT    ORATORS.  367 

perish  to  save  me  from  sickness ;  therefore  I  had  to 
put  in  an  if.  Still,  I  believe  we  may  get  the  full 
assurance  of  faith,  even  for  temporal  matters.  That 
mother  ma}^,  for  the  safety  of  her  son;  that  wife,  for 
the  deliverance  of  her  husband.  There 's  an  in- 
stance in  the  Life  of  Luther  of  the  assurance  of  faith 
in  prayer.  Miconius  was  ill,  with  a  swelling  in  his 
throat,  given  up  by  the  medical  men,  and  appeared  to 
be  on  the  borders  of  death.  Luther  prayed  for  him, 
and  said,  "LorJ,  Miconius  is  necessary  to  thy 
Churchy  thy  work  can  not  go  on  without  him."  He 
felt  he  had  hold  of  God,  and  said,  "  Miconius  shall 
not  die,  but  live."  Intimation  of  the  confidence  of 
Luther  for  Miconius  was  sent  to  the  latter,  and  he 
w^as  so  excited,  that  the  swelling  burst  and  his  life 
was  spared. 

In  a  German  work  there  is  a  circumstance  re- 
corded of  a  mother  who  was  lying  on  what  seemed  to 
be  the  bed  of  death.  Her  little  daughter,  about  five 
years  of  age,  was  heard  to  pray,  ^^0,  dear  Lord  Jesus, 
make  my  mother  better!"  The  little  child  was  heard 
to  repeat  to  herself,  "Yes,  I  will  make  your  mother 
better!"  Some  would  call  this  the  child's  supersti- 
tion, but  I  would  call  it  her  faith.  The  mother  re- 
covered. There  was  once  a  man  who  had  cancer  in 
his  eyes,  and  his  eyes  were  being  eaten  out  with  the 
disease.  This  poor  man  cried  to  the  Lord,  and  said, 
"  0  Lord,  w^ilt  thou  let  the  cancer  eat  out  mine  eyes? 
Thou  wilt  not.  Lord ;  thou  wilt  put  greater  honor  on 
thy  servant  than  that."     And  to  the  astonishment  of 


868  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

medical  men,  his  eyes  were  spared.  And.  if  we  walk 
closely  with  God,  we  shall  often  get  the  full  assurance 
of  faith  even  for  temporal  blessings.  But  in  refer- 
ence to  justification  and  holiness  we  may  pray  with 
unlimited  faith.  ''  Be  it  unto  thee  according  to  thy 
faith,''  is  the  law  of  the  kingdom.  The  kingdom  of 
his  grace  is  thrown  open  to  you,  and  a  voice  from  the 
throne  says,  ''Be  it  unto  thee  even  as  thou  wilt." 
The  veracity  of  God,  the  blood  of  Christ,  yea,  every 
attribute  of  the  Deity,  every  person  in  the  Godhead, 
are  pledged  to  the  fulfillment  of  this  promise.  If  you 
abandon  sin,  give  up  yourselves  to  him,  trust  in  the 
blood  of  his  Son,  he  will  save  you ;  nay,  he  doth  save 
you.  There  must  be  no  ifs  here,  no  peradventures. 
Let  there  be  an  uncompromising,  unreserved  trust  in 
the  blood  of  Christ;  and  if  the  Bible  be  a  revelation 
from  heaven,  if  there  be  a  covenant  of  mercy,  if  there 
be  virtue  in  the  blood  of  Christ,  power  in  the  Holy 
Ghost,  truth  in  God,  you  will  be  saved.  "  What 
things  soever  ye  desire  when  ye  pray,  believe  that  ye 
receive  them,  and  ye  shall  have  them." 

Y.  How  GAIT  WE  RECONCILE  THE  PHRASEOLOGY  OF 
THE  TEXT,  AND  BELIEVE  THAT  WE  HAVE  IN  THE 
PRESENT  WHAT  IS  SPOKEN  OP  IN  THE  FUTURE  TENSE  ? 

I  was  greatly  perplexed  on  this  point,  till  one  day 
I  happened  to  be  in  company  with  tAVO  ministers;  one 
was  a  Methodist,  and  the  other  a  Baptist  brother. 
The  Methodist  said  to  his  Baptist  brother,  "  I  have 
been  thinking  much  about  that  text,  '  What  things  so- 
ever ye  desire  when  ye  pray,  believe  that  yc  receive 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  369 

tlicm,  and  ye  shall  have  them.'  I  think  there  must 
be  some  mistake  about  the  translation.  Have  you  a 
Greek  Testament?"  A  good  old  Greek  Testament 
was  reached  down ;  the  Greek  lexicon  and  grammar 
were  also  produced,  to  examine  the  root  and  tense  of 
the  verb.  The  words  TtL^tfvctf — believe — and  :^a,«;3ai/- 
ft( — receive — were  carefulh^  examined.  The  Baptist 
fixed  his  finger  on  the  words,  anil  said,  ''It  must  be 
in  the  first  future."  "No,"  said  the  Methodist,  "see, 
TtirstsvdiTf!,  the  first  future,  has  a  tlifierent  termination." 
"Then,"  said  he,  "  it  must  be  in  the  first  Aorist." 
"  No,  brother ;  see,  friLctsvas^  the  first  Aorist,  has  a 
prefix  to  it ;  therefore  it  can  not  be  that."  The  Bap- 
tist said,  "  I  see  I  must  give  it  up.  The  words  are 
rightly  translated."  He  remembered  it  was  written — • 
Isa.  Ixv,  24 — "And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  before 
they  call,  I  will  answer ;  and  while  they  are  yet  speak- 
ing, I  will  hear."  And  had  not  Charles  Wesley  an 
eye  to  that  when  he  penned  that  hymn, 

"  I  take  the  blessing  from  above. 
And  wonder  at  tby  boundless  love  ?" 

The  Greek  scholar  can  examine  for  himself;  and 
though  he  may  have  all  the  knowledge  of  an  arcli- 
angel,  I 'defy  him  to  say  that  the  passage  is  wrongly 
translated.  It  is  there,  "  What  things  soever  ye  de- 
sire when  ye  pray,  believe  that  ye  receive  them,  and 
ye  shall  have  them."  Then  you  are  not  to  believe 
that  it  was  done  some  time  ago — not  that  He  will  do  it 
a,t  some  future  period,  but  believe  that  he  doth  it  now. 


870  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

VI.  What  preparation  must  a  man  have  in  or- 
der TO  believe  ? 

^'Yvliat  do  you  mean,"  says  one,  ^'by  a  prepara- 
tion?" I  answer:  I  mean,  how  many  tears  a  man 
must  shed — how  deep  must  be  his  conviction — how 
soft  must  be  his  heart — w^hat  amount  of  godly  sorrow 
must  he  feel — how  long  must  he  remain  in  a  state  of 
repentance?  I  have  read  this  blessed  Bible  through 
on  my  knees,  every  word  of  it,  and  I  find  no  stand- 
ard in  it ;  God  has  set  up  none.  There  is  not  a  w^ord 
said  about  how  many  tears  a  man  must  shed,  how 
soft  or  hard  the  heart  must  be ;  nothing  of  the  kind; 
and  as  God  has  set  up  no  standard,  I  '11  be  the  last 
man  in  the  world  to  make  one.  I  believe  there  are 
far  too  many  creeds  and  standards  floating  about  the 
Christian  Church  already.  No,  there  is  no  spiritual 
barometer  or  thermometer ;  and  I  'm  glad  of  it,  for  it 
would  greatly  perplex  a  minister,  and  it  w^ould 
also  greatly  distress  penitent  souls.  Some  persons 
could  not  shed  a  tear,  if  you  gave  them  the  world — 
still  the  heart  may  bleed,  while  the  eyes  arc  dry. 
Glory  be  to  God,  he  has  put  the  powder  in  helieving — 
purifying  their  hearts  by  faith.  It  is  no  where  said 
purifying  them  by  tears,  by  feelings,  by  soft  hearts 
or  hard  ones,  by  deep  convictions  or  shallow  ones. 
He  has,  however,  said,  "  What  things  soever  ye  de- 
sire Avhen  ye  pray,  believe  that  ye  receive  them,  and 
ye  shall  have  them."  0 !  it  is  by  faith,  by  confi- 
dence in  God.  And  this  method  will  meet  all  cases  — 
the  case  of  the  farmer,  of  the  doctor,  of  the  lawyer. 


r  TT  L  P  I  T     ORATORS.  371 

of  the  president  of  the  college,  of  the  servant, 
of  the  master,  of  the  subject,  of  the  sovereign,  of 
the  little  child,  of  the  venerable  sage,  of  the  man  of 
A.  B.  C,  of  the  philosopher — yes,  of  all  grades 
of  mind,  from  the  first  da^vn  of  reason  up  to  in- 
tellectual noon.  "You  do  not  mean  to  say,"  says 
one,  "  that  no  preparation  is  necessary  V  I  answer 
no,    I  do  not ;    for  when    sin   is    indulged,   God  will 

never  save.     Sin  must  be  given  up. 

^  ^  :K  ;;<  ;i<  >:c  ;.<         ^         ^ 

The  Methodists  have  -clear.  Scriptural  views  of 
these  doctrines  ;  but  I  tell  you,  you  are  holding  on  to 
things  that  w^ill  damn  you  :  God  would  as  soon  sanc- 
tify the  devil  as  to  sanctify  you.  I  know  what  I  say ; 
I  speak  advisedly.  "Lift  up  holy  hands,  without 
wrath  and  doubting."  Lift  them  up  to  show^  that 
there  is  no  iniquity  in  them.  You  may  leave  the  chapel 
as  soon  as  you  like ;  or,  if  you  have  patience  to 
tarry,  you  may;  but  I  tell  you,  it  is  of  no  use;  God 
will  never  purify  your  hearts  till  you  give  up  the  sins 
to  which  you  are  clinging.  See  that  poor  fellow  wan- 
derino;  on  throuojh  the  wilderness :  the  night  is  dark, 
he  stumbles,  and  falls  into  some  deep,  dark  pit :  he 
sets  up  a  cry  for  help  :  his  cry  breaks  on  the  stillness 
of  the  night,  and  is  heard  echoing  on  through  the 
wilderness.  See  those  three  men  passing  on,  now,  as 
the  moon  just  glimmers  through  the  cloud.  See  !  see! 
they  are  standing  listening,  they  have  heard  that  cry  for 
help  :  now  they  are  making  Avay  to  that  spot  whence 
the   cry  proceeds :  one  of  them  is  standing  on  the 


872  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

edge  of  that  deep  pit:  lie  listens,  and  the  cry  is  heard 
again. 

^'  Who  is  down  there  ?" 

^'  0,  sir,  I  have  fallen  into  this  dreadful  place  ;  my 
feet  are  stuck  in  the  mire." 

"  Be  of  good  courage,  my  friend ;  there  are  two 
strong  fellows  here  besides  myself;  v.'e  '11  soon  have 
you  up." 

Now  the  rope  is  being  let  down.  "  There,  take 
hold  of  that  rope,  man,  take  fast  hold  :  now,  give  a 
strong  pull."  Up  comes  the  rope;  the  man  in  the 
pit  has  let  it  slip.  "  Why,  what 's  the  matter  down 
there  ?  Come,  come,  now  take  a  firmer  hold.  Now, 
comrades,  give  another  pull." 

Up  comes  the  rope  again.  ^'  Why,  man,  you  must 
surely  have  something  in  your  hands." 

"  I  have  a  few  things,  sir,  that  I  should  like  to 
bring  up  with  me,  down  here." 

"  Come,  cast  them  away,  and  take  hold  of  the  ropcj 
and  not  trifle  in  this  way !" 

Now  he  casts  the  things  out  of  one  of  his  hands, 
and  they  try  again  :  but  up  comes  the  rope  again. 
"I  tell  you,  man,  if  you  don't  cast  awny  those  things, 
and  take  hold,  we  will  leave  you  to  your  fate." 
Now  he  casts  them  all  away,  and  takes  firm  hold,  and 
up  he  comes  ! 

J.'i  j!^  ::<  ^K  Mi  >!i  :;>  i!^  M; 


PULPIT     ORATORS. 


LETTER    XYI. 

•PULPIT      ORATORS  —  CONTINUED. 

My  Dear  Brother, — The  foregoing  specimens 
liave  been  presented,  not  as  models,  but  simply  to 
show  that  the  men  who  have  wielded  the  greatest  pul- 
pit power  were  those  who  conformed  most  nearly  to 
the  model  of  the  Master. 

Some  excel  in  clearness  and  earnestness;  others  add 
to  these  a  very  effective  degree  of  naturalness,  liter- 
alness,  and  appropriateness.  Many,  no  doubt,  pos- 
sessed a  much  higher  degree  of  naturalness  of  man- 
ner than  their  published  sermons  indicate. 

Chrysostom,  Latimer,  Massillon,  Bunyan,  Christ- 
mas Evans,  and  Whitefield  combined  with  a  high  de- 
gree of  clearness  and  earnestness,  an  equal  degree  of 
naturalness,  literalness,  and  appropriateness.  Chil- 
lingworth  excelled  in  the  first,  second,  and  fifth.  I 
think  Chalmers  was  of  the  same  type  of  Chilling- 
worth.  He  had  great  clearness  and  earnestness,  and 
wonderful  poAver  of  application.  The  following  no- 
tice of  him  I  clip  from  the  Western  Christian  Advo- 
cate : 

The  editor  of  the  British  Standard  recently  pub- 
lished a  series  of  letters  in  favor  of  preaching  extem- 
poraneousl}^  which  he  considered  the  only  simple, 
natural,   and  truly-efi'ective  style  of   pulpit  oratory. 


374  THE    MODEL    PREACUER. 

He  thus  disposes  of  the  greatest  apparent  exception 
to  his  rule,  Chalmers,  the  prince  of  Scottish  preach- 
ers: 

''I  have  heard  all  the  greatest  pulpit  readers  of 
my  time,  and  not  one  of  them  has  formed  an  excep- 
tion to  the  rule.  Even  Chalmers,  their  chief  and 
head,  whose  mighty  ministrations  I  have  very  fre- 
quently attended,  matchless  reader  though  he  was, 
came  most  fully  within  the  rule.  That  distinguished 
man,  indeed,  made  no  attempt  to  look  at  his  audience 
such  as  is  made  by  a  multitude  of  readers;  the  finger 
of  either  hand  was  never  for  a  moment  removed  from 
the  MS.;  there  was  nothing  beyond  a  passing  flash  of 
the  eye  as  he  occasionally  darted  his  head  upward. 
Once  fairly  in  motion,  he  rushed  along  like  a  locomo- 
tive of  the  highest  power  at  full  speed,  heedless  of 
every  thing  before,  behind,  or  around  him,  with  a  sort 
of  blind,  though  inspired  fury.  He  could,  I  verily 
believe,  have  performed  the  magnificent  feat  equally 
well  in  Westminster  Abbey  alone,  and  with  the  doors 
shut !  The  fires  which,  on  these  occasions,  raged  so 
strongly  witliin  him,  were  wholly  independent  of  ex- 
ternal circumstances.  As  a  consequence  of  this, 
power,  all-subduing  power,  was  the  prime  character- 
istic of  the  achievement.  He  was  generally  altogether 
wanting  in  pathos,  that  ethereal  something  which,  pro- 
ceeding from  a  melted  henrt,  has  the  power  of  melt- 
ing all  around  it.  The  effect  of  his  sublime  effusion 
was  a  feeling  of  intense  excitement,  ofttimes  of  over- 
whelming  admiration,    from    which    the    auditor    was 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  375 

often  strongly  tempted  to  clap  his  liands  and  shout  ap- 
plause ;  but  he  was  rarely  visited  with  compunction 
or  moved  to  tears.  Even  in  his  death-scenes  he 
awakened  in  the  assembly  scarcely  any  emotions 
other  than  those  of  awe  or  horror  ;  the  most  sympa- 
thetic even  of  the  gentler  sex  seldom  wept.  The 
most  striking  exception  I  ever  remember  was  on  the 
occasion  of  his  farewell  sermon  on  leaving  Glasgow 
for  St.  Andrews.  The  discourse  on  that  occasion  was 
a  sublime  affair,  not  in  its  matter,  for  he  was  obvi- 
ously by  no  means  well  prepared,  but  in  its  delivery ; 
and  the  prayer  was  even  more  touching  than  the  ser- 
mon. The  discourse  appears  in  his  Collected  Works, 
where  it  occupies  but  a  very  secondary  place. 

'^How  great  soever,  in  a  certain  way,  Chalmers 
might  be  with  MS.,  he  would  have  been  incomparably 
greater  with  free  speech ;  he  was  so  in  his  partial  at- 
tempts at  extemporizing.  Nothing  I  ever  listened  to 
might  be  likened  to  his  off-hand  flights,  whether  in 
the  pulpit  or  the  class-room,  the  social  meeting  or 
the  General  Assembly  of  the  Church  of  Scotland. 
The  style  was  then  much  more  natural  and  idiomatic, 
much  less  figurative,  and  the  matter  much  more  sim- 
ple, condensed,  and  business-like,  and  the  intonation 
in  keeping  with  it.  It  was  nature  perfected.  On 
these  occasions  he  was  scarcely  at  all  Ciceronian,  oft- 
times  quite  Demosthenic. 

"  Again,  in  the  case  of  Chalmers,  there  was  a  most 
material  circumstance  Vv-hich  greatly  abated  the  of- 
fensiveness  of  the  MS.  to  the  public,  as  well  as  les- 


876  THE     MODEL    PREACHER. 

sened  its  inconvenience  to  himself.  His  discourses 
were  written  in  short-hand — which  he  read  with  a  fa- 
cility almost  miraculous — on  a  sheet  of  foolscap  fold- 
ed into  eight  pages,  so  that  there  were  only  four 
leaves  to  turn  during  the  entire  exercise — a  process 
barely  perceptible.  One  of  these  short-hand  manu- 
scripts— a  much-prized  treasure — is  now  before  me, 
consisting  of  only  eight  pages,  although  it  pccupied 
forty  minutes  in  the  delivery. 

"The  power  of  Chalmers  with  MS.,  however  match- 
less in  its  own  way,  was,  I  repeat,  impotent  compared 
with  the  might  of  his  extempore  bursts.  The  diifer- 
ence  was  early  perceived  by  discerning  men.  ,His 
Memoirs  contains  a  singularly-interesting  passage  in 
relation  to  this  subject.  The  celebrated  Andrew  Ful- 
ler, during  one  of  his  Scottish  journeys  on  behalf  of 
the  Baptist  mission,  before  Chalmers  had  become  fa- 
mous, having  spent  some  time  with  him  at  Kilmany, 
labored  hard  to  wean  him  from  the  habit  of  reading 
Dr.  Ilanna,  his  son-in-lavr,  says: 

"'Under  the  very  strong  conviction  that  his  use  of 
the  manuscript  in  the  pulpit  impaired  the  power  of 
his  Sabbath  addresses,  Mr.  Fuller  strenuously  urged 
upon  his  friend  the  practice  of  extempore  preaching, 
or  preaching  from  notes.  "If  that  man,"  said  he  to 
his  companion,  Mr.  Anderson,  after  they  had  taken 
leave  of  Kilmnny  manse — "if  that  man  would  but 
throw  away  his  papers  in  the  pulpit,  lie  might  be  king 
of   Scotland.'"" 

You    observe,    my    brother,    that    when    Chalmera 


PULPIT     ORATOES.  377 

allowed  his  naturalness  to  break  the  fetters  which  bound 
him  to  his  MS.,  override  the  trammels  of  a  stiff,  unnat- 
ural pulpit  style,  his  bursts  of  eloquence  "were  abso- 
lutely overwhelming.  Had  he  adopted  and  practiced 
the  natural  mode  of  preaching,  he  would  have  eclipsed 
Demosthenes.  Mr.  Fuller  said  "  he  might  have  been 
king  of  Scotland,"  or  what  is  immeasurably  supe- 
rior— king  of  pulpit  orators. 

I  have  not  given  a  specimen  of  Wesley's  preaching, 
for  his  sermons  have  been  so  extensively  read  that  I 
do  not  consider  it  necessary.  He  was  a  methodical 
serraonizer,  but  his  system  was  evidently  employed  as 
a  means  of  clearness  and  efficiency,  and  not  simply 
for  the  sake  of  system.  I  verily  believe  that  Wesley 
and  his  noble  band  of  street-preachers,  taking  them 
together  as  a  body  of  living  ministers,  conformed,  in 
every  particular,  to  the  Savior's  model  more  perfectly 
than  any  other  body  of  men  since  the  days  of  the 
apostles.     Their  wonderful  success  is  patent  to  all. 

The  early  pioneers  of  Methodism  in  America  con- 
^.•ormed  to  this  model  in  a  high  degree.  Most  of 
them  possessed  clearness  and  earnestness,  as  do  most 
of  their  successors  to  the  present  time. 

Many  of  our  fathers,  to  be  sure,  had  but  a  limited 
literary  education,  but  they  had  a  clear  religious  ex- 
perience, and  clear  views  of  the  essential  doctrines 
and  appliances  of  the  Gospel.  They  knew  but  little 
about  the  dead  languages,  but  were  familiar  with  the 
living  language  of  Canaan.     They  had  but  few  literary 

quarterlies,  monthlies,  and  weeklies,  but  they  had  the 

32 


S78  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

Bible,  Hymn-Book,  ixnd  Fletcher's  Checks.  They 
•were  well  posted  in  Bible  truth — chapter  and  verse — 
and  in  our  theological  standards.  Those  who  accuse 
many  of  them  of  "  murdering  the  king's  English," 
have,  nevertheless,  been  obliged  to  admit  that  the 
king's  English  escaped  with  much  less  damage  than 
his  crimes  and  his  devil.  True,  some  of  the  fathers 
carried  their  "  Jerusalem  blade  "  in  a  rustic  scabbard, 
but  they  kept  it  bright  and  sharp,  and  frequently 
mowed  down  the  ranks  of  the  enemy  with  it  like  men 
slain  in  battle.  From  the  best  information  I  have 
been  able  to  gather,  my  opinion  is,  that  though  the 
mass  of  preachers  of  the  present  day  liave  more 
education  and  refinement  than  our  fathers  in  the  Gos- 
pel, we  do  not  surpass  them  in  clearness  and  earnest- 
ness, and  do  not  equal  them  in  naturalness  and  liter- 
alness.  I  think  this  is  true  as  a  rule,  yet  admittii:ig 
many  exceptions  on  both  sides  of  the  question. 

I  do  not  say  that  the  ministers  of  modern  days  do 
not  equal  the  fathers  in  piety  and  Gospel  fidelity; 
and  I  believe  that,  while  they  are  generally  exempt 
from  the  long,  dangerous  journeys  and  privations  to 
which  the  fathers  were  subject,  their  duties  are  so 
multiform,  extending  to  so  many  interests — such  as 
Sunday  school,  tract,  missionary,  and  other  institu- 
tion:-^ iind  charities,  which  scarce  had  an  existence 
among  us  seventy  years  ago — that  the  mental  wear 
and  tear,  and  perplexing  toils  of  modern  ministers 
exceed  those  of  the  fathers;  and  yet  in  trying  to  adapt 
ourselves   to  the  refinements   of  modern    taste,   and 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  379 

have  every  thing  done  witli  critical  exactness,  though 
the  mass  of  the  people  have  not  demanded  it  of  us, 
we  have  laced  on  to  ourselves  a  strait-jacket  of  formal 
sermonizing  and  stiff,  unnatural  modes  of  delivery, 
which  seriously  trammel  and  embarrass  our  efforts.  I 
think  the  comparatively  new  thing  of  sermon-reading 
in  Methodist  pulpits,  though  generally  unpopular  with 
our  people,  is  increasing,  while  a  great  many  of  the 
regular  sermon-reading;  ministers  of  other  denomina- 
tions  are  throwing  their  manuscripts  aside,  and  betak- 
ing themselves  to  extemporaneous  preaching. 

The  limits  of  this  little  work  will  only  permit  a 
brief  notice  of  but  a  few  of  the  vast  multitude  of 
American  preachers  of  the  past  and  present,  who 
have  conformed  and  do  conform  in  a  very  efficient  de- 
gree to  the  model  of  Jesus. 

Jonathan  Edwards  excelled  in  clearness,  earnest- 
ness, and  a  peculiar  pungency  of  application  to  the 
conscience  of  the  sinner. 

Jesse  Lee,  with  wonderful  clearness  and  earnest- 
ness, excelled  in  naturalness  and  literalness — full  of 
incident,  sharp  wit,  and  pungent  appeal  power. 

Dr.  Fisk,  though  a  man  of  a  different  type,  was  a 
fine  example  of  the  same  kind  of  preaching. 

Cookman,  combining  a  noble  degree  of  all  the 
essential  elements  of  the  model,  excelled  in  literal- 
ness of  illustration. 

Dr.  Olin,  I  think,  excelled  in  clearness,  earnest- 
ness, and  a  majestic  power  of  application.  From 
what  I  have  seen  and  learned  from  others,  I  believe 


380  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

tliat  his  minititrj  was  characterized  by  a  great  degree 
of  naturalness  also. 

Bishop  M'Kendree,  with  great  clearness,  earnest- 
ness, and  appropriateness,  also  excelled  in  natu- 
ralness. 

Wm.  B.  Christie,  whose  praise  is  in  all  the  Churches 
of  the  west,  excelled  in  the  first  two  and  fifth  charac- 
teristics of  the  model.    The  same  may  be  said  of  Bus 
sel  Bigelow. 

John  Strange,  whose  name  will  live  forever  in  the 
history  of  western  Methodism,  possessed  in  an  un- 
usual degree  all  the  characteristics  of  the  model,  ex- 
celling most  men  in  naturalness  and  literalness.  He 
was  of  the  "Boanerges"  type.  His  ministrations 
were  full  of  striking,  telling  episodes  and  overwhelm- 
ing bursts  of  surprise  power.  Brother  S.,  an  old  pre- 
siding elder  in  Indiana,  said  to  me  a  few  weeks  since, 
"  "When  I  was  an  unconverted  young  man,  I  went,  in 
company  with  a  lot  of  wicked  young  men,  to  a  camp 
meeting.  We  entered  within  the  circle  of  the  tents 
while  John  Strange  was  preaching,  and  as  we  passed 
down  the  aisle  John  paused,  and  straightening  up  his 
tall  form  to  its  utmost  hight,  looking  right  at  us,  he 
cried,  '  Here  they  come !  Lord  God,  shoot  them ! 
Load  and  fire  again !'  Every  hunter  present  under- 
stood that.  I  felt,"  said  brother  S.,  "something  like 
a  sharp  pain  strike  right  through  my  body,  and  for  a 
moment  thought  I  was  shot,  and  every  one  of  us 
dropped  down  almost  as  suddenly  as  if  we  had  been 
shot."     It  was  very  common  under  the  preaching  of 


PULPIT     ORATORS.  381 

Strange  for  men  to  fall  prostrate  like  men  shot  down 
with  a  Minnie  rifle. 

John  Collins  possessed  an  equal  degree  of  natural- 
ness and  literalness  with  Strange,  but  of  a  milder 
type — rather  more  "  a  son  of  consolation."  Rev.  J. 
B.  Finley  bears  the  following  testimony  of  him : 
'*  No  preacher  had  the  power  of  rousing  the  masses, 
and  holding  them  by  his  eloquence  and  power,  to  so 
great  an  extent  as  the  meek  and  sainted  Collins. 
Often  have  we  heard  him  relate  the  story  of  the  lost 
child,  describing  with  inimitable  tenderness  the  feel- 
ings of  the  mother,  whom  he  tried  to  comfort,  but 
who,  like  Rachel,  'would  not  be  comforted,  because 
her  child  was  not,'  and  then,  when  the  child  was 
found,  with  the  utmost  pathos  would  relate  the  joyous 
emotions  of  the  mother.  No  tragedian  ever  succeeded 
better  in  transferring  the  feelings  of  a  character  to 
his  audience  in  his  impersonations  than  did  the  inim- 
itable Collins.  So  far  was  he  from  falling  under  the 
charge  made  by  a  tragedian  to  a  minister  of  the 
Gospel,  of  representing  fact  as  if  it  were  fiction,  that 
he  became  the  living  embodiment  of  his  theme,  and, 
with  a  soul  on  fire,  he  poured  out  the  living  truth  till 
every  heart  was  moved.  Often  have  we  seen  thou- 
sands borne  down  by  his  impassioned  eloquence,  like 
the  trees  of  the  forest  in  a  storm.  And  it  was  irre- 
sistible. Steel  your  heart  as  you  might;  summon  all 
your  philosophy  and  stoicism;  and  nerve  up  your 
Boul  to  an  iron  insensibility  and  endurance,  surround- 
ing it  with  a  rampart  of  the  strongest  prejudices,  the 


S82  THE    MODEL    PEEACHEll. 

liglitnlng  of  Ills  eloquence  *accompamcd  by  the  deep- 
toned,  awfully-sublime  thunder  of  his  words,  which 
came  burning  from  his  soul,  would  melt  down  your 
hardness,  and  break  aw^ay  every  fortification  in  which 
you  were  intrenched,  while  tears  from  the  deep, 
unsealed  fountains  of  your  soul  would  come  unbidden 
like  rain.  The  only  way  to  escape  his  power  was  to 
flee  from  his  presence  and  hearing."  (Sketches  of 
Western  Methodism.) 

Valentine  Cook  combined  in  a  good  degree  all  the 
elements  of  the  model.  A  glance  at  his  literalness 
may  be  seen  in  the  loilowing  extract  from  Bishop 
Morris's  Miscellany: 

"Brother  Cook,  as  a  preacher,  was  altogether  above 
the  medium  grade.  His  pulpit  performances  were 
marked  for  appropriateness,  variety,  fluency,  and 
extraordinary  force."  "AYhilc  brother  Cook  was  re- 
markable for  solemnity,  both  of  appearance  and 
deportment,  there  was  in  his  natural  composition  a 
spice  of  eccentricity,  sufficient  to  attract  attention, 
but  not  to  destroy  his  ministerial  influence.  On  one 
occasion  he  commenced  his  public  discourse — in  a 
country  place — thus:  ^x\s  I  was  riding  along  the 
road  to-day,  I  saw  a  man  walk  out  into  his  field  with 
a  yoke  under  his  arm;  by  the  motion  of  the  stick,  he 
brought  up  two  bullocks,  and  placed  the  yoke  upon 
them.  At  another  place  I  saw  an  ass  standing  by  a 
corn-crib,  waiting  for  his  daily  provender.'  Then  he 
read  for  his  text,  '  The  ox  knoweth  his  owner,  and 
the  ass  his  master's  crib;  but  Israel  doth  not  know, 


PULPIT     OEATORS.  388 

my  people  doth  not  consider.'  He  was  a  ready 
man,  liiid  a  fruitful  mind,  and,  no  doubt,  what  he 
had  seen  on  the  way  suggested  the  subject  of  his 
discourse." 

From  the  sermons  of  living  men,  I  have,  as  you 
have  seen,  selected  but  two  specimens — Spurgeon  and 
Caughey.  I  might  select  from  many  others  more 
ncceptnble  to  the  critics,  perhaps,  did  my  space  per- 
mit. Notwithstanding  all  the  objections  raised  against 
Spurgeon  and  Caughey,  they  combine  a  masterly 
degree  of  the  essential  elements  of  power  contained 
in  the  Gospel  model,  and  their  extraordinary  success 
is  known  to  the  v/orld. 

We  have  many  living  ministers  of  different  denom- 
inations, who  combine,  in  a  very  efficient  degree,  all 
the  characteristics  of  the  model. 

Dr.  Durbin  excels  in  the  first  two  and  last  two — and 
has,  withal,  when  animated,  a  glowing  degree  of 
naturalness. 

Bishop  Simpson  combines  all  in  such  symmetrical 
proportions,  that  I  do  n't  know  that  one  is  more 
prominent  in  his  ministry  than  another.  He  employs 
a  great  many  historical  and  scientific  illustrations,  but 
they  are  made  natural  and  simple  to  the  life. 

I  might  multiply  cases  of  mighty  men,  in  different 
branches  of  the  Church,  who  conform  in  a  hio;h  deo;ree 
to  the  Master's  model,  but  I  forbear.  I  will  simply 
add,  that  I  believe  there  are  thousands  of  men  v/ith 
*'one  talent,"  who  conform  more  fully  to  the  great 
■Teacher's  model,  and  hence,  in  proportion  to  their 


884  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

natural  force   and   humble  sphere,   accomplish  more 
than  many  of  the  "  star  preachers." 

I  think  the  foregoing  examples  of  pulpit  eloquence 
are  sufficient  clearly  to  establish  the  proposition  they 
were  designed  to  prove  and  illustrate;  namely,  that 
the  most  effective  pulpit  orators  of  different  ages, 
were  those  who  conformed  most  nearly  to  the  model 
of  the  Master,  and  that  their  success  was  proportion- 
ate to  the  degree  of  their  conformity  to  it;  and  hence, 
the  presumption  is  clear,  that  their  success  is  attribu- 
table to  the  fact  of  their  conformity  to  the  model  of 
Jesus.  « 


MISCELLANEOUS     SUGGESTIONS.         SS5 


LETTER    XYII. 

MISCELLANEOUS     SUGGESTIONS. 

My  Dear  Brother, — I  want  to  tell  you  a  little  of 
my  experience  in  regard  to  pulpit  encyclopedias. 
After  I  had  been  preaching  a  couple  of  years,  I  was 
prevailed  upon,  at  conference  in  Baltimore  city,  to 
purchase  a  copy  of  a  new  work,  containing  five  hun- 
dred sketches  of  sermons,  and  all  the  examples  and 
directions  necessary  to  furnish  a  man  thoroughly  unto 
every  good  work,  and  to  great  efficiency  as  a 
preacher,  and,  moreover,  it  was  pleaded  in  the  argu- 
ment, that  all  the  preachers  were  supplying  them- 
selves; and  so,  as  I  did  not  like  to  be  left  behind 
entirely,  and  as  I  had  a  sincere  :&eal  for  God  and 
souls,  I  bought  the  book,  and  thought  I  would  try  and 
keep  up  with  my  young  brethren,  as  a  sermonizer, 
and  save  as  many  souls  as  possible. 

I  had  upward  of  two  hundred  miles    to  travel  to 

my  circuit,  and  on  the  way  I  seized  every  opportunity 

to  examine  my  new  book.     I  read  a  number  of  the 

sketches,  and  found  that  they  divided  and  subdivided 

the   text,  till  it  required   a   large  proportion  of  the 

figures   of  the    multiplication    table    to    number    the 

points,  and  said  more  about  the  subject  than  I  had 

ever   thought   of,    or    supposed   I   ever   could    have 

thought  of.     And  now  the  question  in  my  mind  was, 

33 


386  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

"  What  can  I  make  of  any  one  of  these  sketches  ?" 
To  appropriate  and  use  it  as  mj  own  will  probably 
expose  me  to  the  just  charge  of  plagiarism,  and  even 
if  my  theft  should  not  be  detected,  it  will  not  meet 
the  honest  demands  of  my  own  conscience.     Again,  I 
want  to  learn  to  walk  alone,  and  grow  up  to  be  a  man, 
and  if  I  begin  by  walking  on  crutches,  and  borrowed 
ones  at  that,  I  will  move  very  ungracefully,  and  this 
will  perhaps  make  an  awkward  hobbler  of  me  during 
my  whole  life."     I  thought  of  selecting  from  different 
sketches,  and  fitting  the  selections  on  to  a  new  text, 
and  try  it  in  that  way,  but  soon  came  to  this  conclu- 
sion, "  That  will  be  but  a  hypocritical  ruse  got  up  to 
cover  my  theft,  and  I  can't  consent  to  such  a  thing." 
I  found,  too,  that  as  the  sketch  contained  every  thing 
that  I  could  think  of,  as  having  any  connection  with 
the  subject,  I  had,  instead  of  gaining  a  sermon,  lost 
a  text.     And  having  already  lost  two  or  three  favor- 
ite ones,  I  shut  up  the  book,  and  the  first  opportunity 
I  had,  gave  it  away  to  a  local  preacher.     I  believe, 
my  brother,   that,  while  such  works   contain    a   vast 
amount  of  valuable  theological  matter,  their  use,  upon 
the  whole,  has  a  bad  effect  on  our  young  preachers. 
1.    It   presents   too   strong    a  temptation   to    plagia- 
rism.    2.   The   standard   of  sermonizing  which   they 
furnish  is  too  abstract,  too  formal,  too  stiff,  and  yet, 
claiming   to   be    supported   by  the   most   celebrated 
authorities  in  the  Church,  many  young  men  conclude 
that  to   gain   a  reputation   as   sermonizers,   and   not 
mere  talkers  or  exhorters,  they  must  conform  to  this 


MISCELLANEOUS    SUGGESTIONS.        387 

standard — that  nothing  is  entitled  to  the  name  of  a 
sermon  unless  it  be  prefaced  with  a  formal  exordium, 
and  then  contain  at  least  three  regular  divisions,  and 
four  or  five  subdivisions,  under  each  head  of  dis- 
course, then  a  recapitulation  of  the  whole,  and  finally 
an  application  containing  nearly  as  many  divisions  as 
the  body  of  the  sermon. 

I  opened  a  book  of  sermons  a  few  days  since,  from 
the  pen  of  one  of  the  great  modern  models,  and  the 
first  sermon  I  examined  contained  forty  divisions  and 
subdivisions,  all  duly  numbered. 

Now,  there  is  a  legitimate  order  of  truth,  and  if  to 
number  the  points  will  in  any  case  add  any  thing  to 
brevity  and  clearness  of  statement,  or  to  efficiency  in 
the  application  of  truth,  by  all  means  number  your 
points;  but  the  idea  of  sacrificing  most  of  the  essential 
elements  of  pulpit  power  for  the  sake  of  maintaining 
a  false  formal  standard  of  sermonizing,  is  a  fallacy 
deep  dyed  with  the  blood  of  souls.  See  a  man  called 
of  God  to  preach  the  Gospel  delivering  a  long,  sys- 
tematic, dry  sermon.  Some  of  his  hearers  are  stum- 
bling on  the  threshold  cf  perdition,  and  are  hearing 
the  man  of  God  for  the  last  time.  God  sees  those 
souls  rapidly  drifting  to  the  equatorial  line  between 
possible  salvation  and  eternal  death.  Jesus,  with 
yearning  hoart,  stands  in  the  pulpit  "with"  his  em- 
bassador, according  to  his  promise.  The  Holy  Ghost 
hovers  over  the  awful  scene,  and  knocks  now  at  the 
perishing  sinner's  heart,  and  now  at  the  preacher's 
heart,  and  brings  to  his  "remembrance  the  things" 


888  THE     MODEL     PREACIIEIl. 

that  would  reach  the  sinner's  conscience.  The 
preacher  is  almost  persuaded  to  let  his  arrangement 
go,  or  the  latter  half  of  it,  at  any  rate,  and  break 
forth  in  earnest  appeal,  but  the  thought  of  his  reputa- 
tion as  a  sermonizer  deters  him,  and  he  proceeds  with 
his  sermon  as  before  arranged.  What  does  Jesus 
think  of  such  a  man  ?  How  does  the  Holy  Spirit  feel 
on  such  an  occasion?  How  the  ministering  angels, 
waiting  to  bear  the  victorious  war  dispatches  to 
heaven,  hover  and  gaze,  and  wonder  at  such  a  spec- 
tacle !  During  the  ensuing  week  a  dear  neighbor, 
who  attended  Church  that  day  for  the  last  time,  takes 
suddenly  ill  and  dies  without  hope. 

In  regard  to  reading  sermons,  my  brother,  I  need 
say  but  little.  If,  after  mastering  a  subject,  as  you 
should  always  do  in  a  good  degree  before  you  attempt 
to  preach  on  it,  you  can  not  retain  in  your  memory 
what  you  wish  to  say  long  enough  to  announce  it  to 
your  people,  how  can  you  expect  them  to  remember 
it  from  a  single  hearing  ? 

If  your  sermon  is  sufficiently  clear,  earnest,  natural, 
literal,  and  appropriate  foi  efficiency,  neither  you  nor 
your  hearers  will  find  much  difficulty  in  remembering 
it ;  but  if  it  is  made  up  of  dry  abstractions,  you  will 
have  to  write  it  out  in  order  to  remember  it  yourself, 
and  it  do  n't  make  much  difference  whether  the  peo- 
ple recollect  it  or  not,  as  it  does  not  contain  enough 
of  practical  power  to  do  their  souls  much  good. 

It  is  improving  to  the  mind  to  write  on  any  useful 
subject;  but  if  you  wish  to  write  a  sermon,  you  can  do 


MISCELLANEOUS     SUGGESTIONS.        389 

it  much  better  after  preaching  it  than  before.  You 
will  then  get  into  it  the  flashing  touches  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  on  the  occasion  of  delivery,  with  the  enlarged 
ideas  to  which  it  led  you. 

If  a  man  wishes  to  write  sermons  for  publication 
for  the  sake  of  doing  good  in  that  way,  or  simply  to 
preserve  in  manuscript  form,  of  course  it  is  all  right, 
and  to  read  or  have  them  read  privately  or  publicly, 
is  appropriate  enough;  but  reading  sermons  is  not 
preaching  the  Gospel,  and  to  substitute  it  for  preach- 
ing is  anti-apostolic,  and,  in  my  opinion,  very  offen- 
sive to  the  Holy  Spirit.  But  reading  or  repeating  a 
borrowed  sermon  without  giving  credit,  is  not  only 
inappropriate,  but  dishonest. 

One  of  the  most  popular  pulpit  orators  in  Indiana 
gave  me  a  little  of  his  experience,  a  few  days  since,  in 
regard  to  plagiarism.  ''  Having  to  preach  on  one  oc- 
casion," said  he,  '^  soon  after  I  entered  the  ministry, 
in  a  large  town,  where  I  supposed  I  would  have  in  my 
audience  a  great  many  learned  critics,  I  was  afraid 
to  risk  one  of  my  ov/n  productions,  and  hence  selected 
and  committed  to  memory  one  of  the  best  published 
sermons  I  could  find.  It  was  a  masterpiece,  and  I 
thought  I  might  make  it  do  a  great  deal  of  good,  and 
fixed  it  indelibly  upon  my  mind.  I  never  thought  of 
the  impropriety  of  such  a  thing  till  I  got  into  the  pul- 
pit, when  it  struck  me  that  I  had  stolen  another  man's 
sermon,  and  was  about  to  pass  it  as  my  own,  and 
something  seemed  to  say  to  me,  '  Thief,  thief!  steal  a 
sermon  and  pass  it  hypocritically  as  your  own.    Hyp  ♦ 


390  THE     MODEL    PREACHER. 

ocrite,  hypocrite,  you  need  not  think  to  escape  de- 
tection. Many  of  these  intelligent  men  have  read 
that  sermon,  and  will  expose  you  all  over  town  before 
the  setting  of  the  sun.  Thief,  thief,  hypocrite, 
hypocrite.'  It  appeared  to  me  that  the  devil  was  let 
loose  to  torment  me,  for  *  thief,  thief,'  rang  in  my 
ear  till  my  hair  seemed  to  rise  on  my  head,  and  the 
perspiration  rolled  oif  me.  I  could  not  tell  what  to 
do.  The  hour  for  preaching  had  come,  and  I  had  no 
other  sermon  available.  So  I  got  up  in  that  sad 
plight,  and  repeated  the  stolen  sermon  as  best  I  could. 
As  I  came  down  from  the  pulpit,  the  accuser  assailed 
me  again,  saying,  '  Thief,  thief,  you  '11  be  found  out. 
These  men  are  looking  on  you  with  contempt  now.' 
I  hastened  out  of  sight,  and  cried  to  God  with  the 
anguish  of  a  condemned  criminal,  and  said,  ^  0  Lord 
God,  pity  me.  For  Christ's  sake  forgive  me.  By 
thy  grace  I  will  never  attempt  such  a  thing  again  as 
long  as  Hive.  Let  those  men  tell  it;  let  them  publish 
my  shame  to  the  world.  I  will  tell  it  myself,  and  con- 
fess my  guilt  to  God  and  to  men,  and  solemnly 
promise  never  to  be  guilty  of  the  like  again  while 
God  gives  me  breath.'  " 

While,  my  brother,  in  the  matter  of  direct  appeal 
to  the  heart,  and  an  effort  to  lead  souls  directly  to 
Christ,  we  should  carefully  guard  against  introducing 
any  thing  irrelevant,  or  calculated  to  divert  attention 
from  the  one  essential  question  of  a  present  salvation, 
it  is  nevertheless  a  minister's  duty  to  be  well  posted  on 
all  the  important  questions  of  the  day,  and  to  throw 


MISCELLANEOUS     SUGaESTIONS.        391 

his  influence  in  favor  of  temperance,  and  other  im- 
portant reformatory  measures  of  the  times.  It  is  hia 
duty  to  exercise  his  elective  franchise,  and  to  express 
his  opinions  on  any  subject,  -when  he  can  by  so  doing 
promote  the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of  society. 
And  yet  as  an  embassador  of  Christ,  sent  forth  to 
preach  the  Gospel,  not  to  any  particular  party,  but,  as 
far  as  he  can,  to  the  Avorkl,  he  should  not  allow 
himself  to  be  carried  by  party  excitement  and  strife 
out  of  the  line  of  general  acceptability  and  useftdness 
as  a  minister  of  the  Gospel. 

The  Savior  and  his  apostles  witnessed  many  enor- 
mous evils,  political  and  social:  organized  and  legal- 
ized, they  stood  out  in  the  light  of  day  in  all  their 
undisguised,  iniquitous  deformity.  Even  their  own 
people  were  groaning  under  the  tyranny  of  Rome,  and 
expected  certainly  that  Messiah  at  his  coming  w^ould 
break  the  yoke,  and  proclaim  a  grand  jubilee  to  all 
the  oppressed;  but  the  bondage  of  their  bodies  was  so 
small  a  matter,  compared  w^ith  the  bondage  of  their 
souls,  that  Jesus  went  and  preached  deliverance  to 
the  captives,  breaking  the  dominion  of  sin  in  their 
hearts  and  lives,  directing  their  attention  entirely  to 
a  kingdom  not  of  this  world,  and  said  but  little  about 
their  oppressions  or  their  oppressors.  One  thing  at  a 
time  was  as  much  as  people  or  preacher  could  then 
successfully  attend  to. 

I  have  sometimes  got  prisoners  in  a  good  way  of 
seeking  the  Savior,  when  they  would  get  an  idea  that 
I  would  be  just  the  man  to  get  up  a  petition  for  a 


392  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

reprieve,  and  release  them  from  prison.  That  invari- 
ably diverted  their  minds  from  the  vital  question — the 
soul's  salvation — and  I  could  lead  them  no  further  in 
that  direction. 

The  Savior  doubtless  felt,  and  always  manifested  a 
profound  sympathy  for  the  people  in  their  bodily  suf- 
ferings, whether  from  personal  affliction  or  civil  op- 
pression, but  a  sympathy  for  their  souls  as  much 
greater  as  their  spiritual  interests  were  more  import- 
ant than  their  temporal;  and. 

As  the  purity  and  moral  strength  of  a  nation,  or 
any  organization,  depends  solely  on  the  purity  of  the 
individuals  composing  the  organization;  and. 

As  great  national  sins,  and  organized  forms  of 
iniquity  and  "oppression',  could  only  be  effectually  un- 
dermined, cured,  and  removed  by  the  individual  piety 
of  the  people;  and. 

As  the  enlightened  piety  of  the  people  individually 
was  the  only  thing  that  could  make  an  easier  lot  in 
life  a  blessing  to  their  souls;  and, 

As  an  avowed,  direct  assault  upon  organized  evils 
would  greatly  complicate  the  already  momentously 
responsible  work  of  his  embassadors,  draw  around 
them  many  impure  ambitious  spirits,  and  generally 
divert  attention  from  the  great  work  of  their  mis- 
sion— the  salvation  of  the  world,  by  individuals ; 

Therefore,  the  Savior,  for  these,  with  other  reasons, 
probably  was  pleased  in  his  wisdom  to  direct  the 
whole  moral  enginery  of  the  Gospel,  not  to  the  direci 
purgation  of  corrupt  governments,  and  the  conquest 


MISCELLANEOUS     SUGGESTIONS.        398 

of  the  world  en  masses  but  to  the  personal  applica- 
tion of  its  saving  power  ^'to  every  creature,"  enjoin- 
ing, by  precept  and  example,  obedience  to  the  "poAV- 
ers  that  be,"  till  by  this  individual,  regenerating,  puri- 
fying energy  of  the  Gospel,  those  powers  could  be 
made  better. 

St.  Peter  expresses  the  apostolic  vievf  of  the  sub- 
ject, saying,  "Submit  yourselves  to  every  ordinance 
of  man  for  the  Lord's  sake :  whether  it  be  to  the 
king,  as  supreme;  or  unto  governors,  as  unto  them 
that  are  sent  by  him  for  the  punishment  of  evil-doers, 
and  for  the  praise  of  them  that  do  well.  For  so  is 
the  will  of  God,  that  with  well-doing  ye  may  put  to 
silence  the  ignorance  of  foolish  men:  as  free,  and 
not  using  your  liberty  for  a  cloak  of  maliciousness, 
but  as  the  servants  of  God."  The  ground  on  which 
they  urged  submission  is  not  that  "  the  kings "  were 
honest  and  good,  and  "the  ordinances"  just  and 
equitable,  for  they  were  most  tyrannical  and  corrupt, 
but  because  government  itself  is  a  necessary  institu- 
tion of  God,  and  because,  though  "  free,"  and  not  in 
justice  bound  to  submit  to  unjust  laws,  yet,  for  the 
"Lord's  sake,"  by  their  meek  example,  "putting  to 
silence  the  ignorance  of  foolish  men,"  and  thus  fur- 
ther the  great  ends  of  the  Gospel. 

The  embassadors  were  thus  sent  forth,  not  with 
carnal,  but  spiritual  weapons,  "  but  mighty  through 
God  in  pulling  down  the  strongholds "  of  sin  in  all  its 
forms.  Such  was  the  direct  importance  of  their  mes- 
sage, that  they  were  commanded  to  "salute  no  man 


394  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

by  the  way" — to  lose  no  time  in  needless  ceremony, 
but  run  on,  proclaiming  the  jubilant  tidings,  till  liberty 
shall  be  proclaimed  to  "all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
whole  earth,"  and  the  little  Gospel  stone  shall  have 
rolled  on,  with  increasing  size  and  momentum,  break- 
ing down  and  demolishing  every  opposing  force,  indi- 
vidual and  governmental,  and  filled  the  world,  and 
*'  bring  in  everlasting  righteousness." 

Some  Pharisees  and  Herodians  once  combined  their 
influence  to  try  to  make  a  political  partisan  of  Jesus, 
and  thus  addressed  him,  "Master,  we  know  that  thou 
art  true,  and  teachest  the  way  of  God  in  truth ; 
neither  carest  thou  for  any  man  " — thou  certainly  hast 
opinions  on  the  great  political  questions  of  the  day, 
and  teaching  "the  way  of  God  in  truth,"  thou  hast 
right  opinions,  and  art  not  afraid  to  express  them,  for 
thou  carest  "not  for  any  man" — no  conservative 
dough-face — "for  thou  regardest  not  the  person  of 
men."  "Tell  us,  therefore,  what  thinkest  thou?  Is 
it  lawful  to  give  tribute  unto  CjBsar,  or  not?"  They 
hoped  to  commit  him  to  one  or  the  other  of  the  great 
contentious  political  parties  of  the  nation,  and  thus 
" entangle  him."  "But  Jesus  perceived  tlieir  wicked- 
ness, and  said.  Why  tempt  ye  me,  ye  hypocrites? 
Shew  me  the  tribute  money.  And  they  brought  unto 
him  a  penny.  And  he  saith  unto  them.  Whose  is  this 
image  and  superscription?  They  say  unto  him, 
Caesar's.  Then  saith  he  unto  them.  Render,  there- 
fore, unto  Caesar  the  things  Avhich  arc  Caesar's,  and 
unto   God  the  things  that  are   God's.      When  they 


MISCELLANEOUS    SUGGESTIONS.        395 

had  heard  these  words  they  marveled,  and  left  him, 
and  went  their  way." 

While,  therefore,  my  brother,  we  should  fearlessly 
reprove  sin  of  all  kinds — private  sins  and  public  sins, 
in  high  places  and  low  places — we  will  find  occasion  to 
use  all  the  wisdom  with  which,  by  the  exercise  of 
common-sense,  and  by  the  enlightening  power  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  God  may  endow  us,  to  plan  and  conduct 
our  modes  of  attack  so  as  to  promote  and  not  defeat 
the  cause  we  seek  to  serve. 

The  reformers  of  the  eighteenth  century  grasped 
the  sword,  and  the  weapons  of  their  warfare  became 
mixed — partly  spiritual,  and  in  a  great  degree  carnal. 
The  result  is  patent  to  all.  The  reformers  of  the 
nineteenth  century  used  Gospel  weapons  only.  The 
result  was  a  reformation  of  individuals,  which  is  re- 
forming nations  and  governments. 

I  would  like,  my  brother,  to  make  a  few  sugges- 
tions in  regard  to  the  "  earthen  vessels  "  to  which  the 
Gospel  treasure  is  committed — our  bodies.  If  you 
wish  to  keep  your  head  and  your  voice  clear,  and  your 
nerves  in  tune  for  conveying  thought,  give  attention* 
to  your  diet,  and  to  exercise  in  the  open  air,  and  keep 
your  system  in  good  condition.  Nothing  will  so 
quickly  affect  your  voice  and  nervous  action,  and  dis- 
qualify you  for  efficient  service,  as  constipation.  Reg- 
ulate your  system,  if  possible,  without  medicine.  If 
you  make  an  apothecary  shop  of  yourself,  you  will 
never  be  fit  for  much  else.  Do  not  on  any  account 
deprive  yourself  of  your  necessary  rest  and  regular 


896  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

hours  for  sleeping.  Rob  nature,  and  it  will  pursue 
you  like  the  tax  collector. 

An  old  colleasiue  of  mine  indulo-ed  the  habit  of  sit- 
ting  up  to  talk  to  his  friends,  frequently  till  two 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  brought  upon  him  a 
sleepy  disease.  lie  can  not  now  listen  to  a  sermon 
without  going  to  sleep  no  more  than  he  can  command 
at  will  the  circulation  of  his  blood,  and  he  frequently 
takes  a  small  nap  of  sleep  between  his  opening  prayer 
and  sermon  while  the  congregation  is  singing  the 
second  hymn.  His  robbed  and  injured  nature  is  con- 
stantly dunning  and  teasing  him,  demanding  payment 
with  restitution,  and  screwing  it  out  of  him  by  small 
installments. 

In  anticipation  of  a  heavy  Sabbath  day's  labor,  I 
have  found  it  very  serviceable  to  take  vigorous  exer- 
cise on  Saturday — chop  wood,  work  in  the  garden,  or 
something  tliat  Avill  exercise  the  whole  bod}^  as  much 
as  possible  without  exhaustion.  Next  day  preaching 
five  sermons  will  produce  but  little  weariness,  and  no 
hoarseness.  If  my  voice  is  not  entirely  free  and 
clear,  after  preaching  tvro  or  three  sermons,  I  go  out 
alone,  and  run  a  foot-race  with  myself,  till  I  get  up 
rapid  breathing,  and  thoroughly  inflate  my  lungs. 

In  San  Francisco,  for  years,  after  preaching  three 
sermons  in  the  forenoon  of  each  Sabbath,  I  was  in  the 
habit  of  going  out  on  the  sand  hills  after  dinner,  and 
running  as  fast  and  far  as  possible  witliout  exhauvSting 
my  physical  force,  and  then  go  down  on  the  plaza 
with  ct  voice  nearly  as  clear  as  a  trumpet,  and  preach 


MISCELLANEOUS    SUGGESTIONS.  897 

to    the    city    and    the    representatives    of   the    world 
generall}^ 

When  praying  vocall}^,  do  n't  throw  your  head 
back.  Many  thus  in  trying  to  look  up  through  the 
roof  of  the  house  into  the  heavens,  causing  a  heavy 
strain  of  the  vocal  organs  by  an  unnatural  stretching 
of  the  front  muscles  of  the  neck,  pray  themselves 
hoarse  in  five  minutes. 

If  you  desire  to  speak  with  ease  and  force,  and 
never  to  "give  out,'*  stand  erect  when  speaking — not 
stiff,  like  a  post — use  as  much  natural  action  as  you 
desire,  but  do  n't  stoop  forward ;  keep  your  shoulders 
back,  give  your  lungs  as  much  room  as  possible,  and 
learn  the  art  of  deep  breathing.  Preaching  with 
half-inHated  lungs  is  very  much  like  blowing  a  fire 
with  half-inflated  bellows — constant  labor,  chafing, 
and  pufiing,  but  not  force  enough  to  raise  the  sparks 
and  heat  the  iron.  Do  n't  speak  with  the  exhausted 
breath  of  the  lungs,  and  occasionally,  while  speaking, 
thoroughly  inflate  them  by  the  longest  breath  you 
can  draw\  You  will  have  plenty  of  time  for  that  in 
your  emphatic  pauses.  Speak  with  the  natural  force 
of  expiration,  using  the  easy  contraction  of  the 
muscles  of  the  chest  from  the  abdominal  muscles 
up  as  bellows  power  for  blowing  out  the  words.  The 
softest  and  loudest  tones  are  thus  produced. 

Do  n't  acquire  the  habit  of  drinking  water  while 
preaching,  unless  really  necessary  to  allay  thirst.  It 
is  of  no  advantage  to  the  voice. 

When  I  feel  any  chafing  or  soreness  of  throat  from 


398  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

excessive  labor,  I  take  a  sup  of  molasses  before  going 
to  bed ;  when  a  tendency  to  hoarseness,  I  put  a  small 
piece  of  alum  in  my  mouth  for  a  moment.  I  use  no 
candies  or  any  thing  for  my  throat  in  preaching  regu- 
larly from  eight  to  fifteen  sermons  every  week,  for 
months  together,  besides  these  simple  remedies,  and 
very  seldom  have  any  hoarseness. 

If  you  travel  through  the  cold  in  going  to  an  ap- 
pointment, and  find  yourself  chilled,  do  n't  go  to  a 
stove  before  preaching,  unless  suffering  greatly  from 
cold  feet;  instead  of  that,  if  you  have  opportunity, 
walk  or  run  till  you  raise  the  temperature  of  the  body 
to  a  comfortable  degree. 

I  have  not  stopped  to  give  you  the  philosophy  of 
the  simple  rules  I  have  stated ;  that  will  be  obvious  to 
you  on  reflection. 

The  law  of  the  Sabbath  is  adapted  to  our  physical 
wants  as  really  as  to  the  demands  of  our  moral  na- 
ture, and  can  not  in  relation  to  either  be  violated  with 
impunity.  As  a  minister's  heaviest  labor  is  on  the 
Sabbath,  he  ouglit  to  observe  Saturday  or  Monday  as 
a  day  of  rest  and  recreation ;  but  do  n't  indulge  any 
"blue  Mondays." 

The  reaction  of  the  excitement  of  Sabbath's  labors 
is  so  severe  with  some  preachers,  that  on  Monday 
they  are  as  snappisli  as  a  surly  cur,  and  their  wives 
have  almost  to  stand  guard  at  their  study  doors  to 
keep  the  children  away  from  them.  If  you  feel  the 
"blues"  coming  upon  you,  don't  shut  yourself  up  in 
your  study,  nor  resort  to  "  old  wives'  fables,"  or  yellow- 


MISCELLANEOUS    SUGGESTIONS.          399 

covered,  farcical  trash  for  entertainment,  but  perform 
your  devotions,  and  then  go  out  in  the  open  air,  and 
take  a  romp  with  the  little  boys  and  girls — take  them 
near  to  your  person  and  near  to  your  heart,  sing 
them  little  songs,  and  tell  them  pleasing  little  stories 
about  good  boys  and  girls.  Attract  them  to  you  and 
to  your  Savior,  and  in  return  they  will  impart  ani- 
mal magnetism  or  electricity  to  your  overwrought 
nervous  system,  sympathy  and  affection  to  your 
heart,  diversion  and  entertainment  for  your  mind,  and 
thus  recuperate  your  wearied  energies  faster  than  any 
other  specific  you  can  employ. 

On  the  subject  of  using  stimulants  before  going 
into  the  pulpit,  my  brother,  allow  me  to  say,  their  use 
is  very  important. 

In  former  days,  especially  in  England,  a  little  of 
the  ardent  was  provided  and  kept  in  the  sanctuary 
for  the  purpose. 

Some,  though  perhaps  but  a  few,  at  the  present 
time  in  our  own  country,  use  opium  for  that  purpose, 
or  a  compound  of  opium  and  spirits.  A  thirst  is  thus 
created  which  demands  a  larger  dose  each  week,  and 
a  few  cases  have  come  to  light  where  mighty  men 
have  been  bitten  and  slain  by  the  serpent  thus  piously 
fostered  in  their  bosoms.  I  have  met  with  several 
such  wrecks  in  California,  and  have  heard  of  some  in 
my  travels  on  this  side  of  the  continent. 

Some  get  up  the  steam  by  smoking  a  cigar  before 
going  into  the  pulpit,  and  after  a  while  a  couple  are 
necessary  to  produce  the  same  efiect;  and  it  is  well  if 


400  THE     MODEL     PREACHER. 

tliey  are  not  induced  to  resort  to  something  stronger 
to  secure  the  same  pious  end. 

A  great  many  men  of  unquestionable  piety  and 
usefulness  use  the  weed,  but  it  is  a  question  whether 
it  is  exactly  appropriate  to  stink  up  "the  temple  of 
God" — their  bodies — with  the  fumes  of  tobacco.  I 
do  not  know  certainly  whether  they  constitute  a 
*' sweet-smelling  savor  to  the  Lord"  or  not;  but  I 
know  they  do  n't  smell  so  sweet  to  a  poor  mourner  on 
whom  they  are  breathing  the  words  of  consolation. 
I  Avill  give  you,  my  brother,  a  prescription  for  a  stim- 
ulant, both  wholesome  and  efficient. 

1.  A  consciousness  that  you  are  going  before  your 
people  with  something  that  will  stir  their  souls,  and 
by  reflex  sympathy  increase  the  stimulating  tide  in 
your  own  bosom.  '•  See  a  man  wise  in  his  own  con- 
ceit ;  there  is  more  hope  of  a  fool  than  of  him ;"  but 
a  just  appreciation  of  the  power  with  which  God  has 
endowed  you,  and  of  the  power  of  the  good  ''  old  Je- 
rusalem blade,"  briglit  and  sharp,  is  necessary  to  effi- 
cient action. 

Elihu  felt  the  power  of  this  kind  of  stimulus  when 
he  said,  ''I  also  will  shew  mine  opinion.  For  I  am 
full  of  matter;  the  spirit  within  me  constraineth  me." 

2.  The  baptismal  fire  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  best 
stimulant  for  a  preacher  in  the  world. 

3.  It  will  be  serviceable,  as  you  have  opportunity, 
without  wearying  your  vocal  powers,  to  talk  a  little  to 
some  dying  Christian,  or  direct  some  trembling  sinner 
to  the  cross,  visit  a  class,  or  say  a  few  words  to  the 


MISCELLANEOUS    SUGGESTIONS.         401 

children  in  the  Sabbath  school,  before  going  into  the 
pulpit.  If  you  have  mastered  your  subject,  and  if 
your  sermon  has  enough  of  literalness  in  it  to  make 
it  tell  on  your  hearers,  there  is  no  danger  of  driving 
it  out  of  your  mind  by  the  kind  of  conversation  I 
have  prescribed,  but  light,  commonplace  talk  operates 
injuriously.  In  San  Francisco  I  used  to  visit  the  pa- 
tients in  the  hospital  in  the  morning,  and  preach  to  as 
many  of  them  as  were  able  to  assemble  in  one  room. 
That  constituted  a  stimulant  -which  brought  out  the 
sympathies  of  my  soul,  quickened  nervous  action, 
and  prepared  me  for  the  labors  of  the  day. 

4.  When  you  get  into  the  pulpit,  reassure  yourself 
of  your  call  to  be  an  embassador  of  Christ,  and  that 
you  are  about  to  "  teach  your  hearers  to  observe  all 
things  whatsoever  ho  hath  commanded,"  and  then  by 
the  promise,  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  always,"  realize  by 
faith  that  the  world's  Redeemer  is  in  the  pulpit  with 
you,  as  really  present  as  though  you  saw  him  with 
your  eyes — present  in  his  spiritual  nature,  in  his  es- 
sential divinity,  in  all  the  fullness  of  his  saving  pow- 
er. A  faithful  application  of  this  prescription,  my 
brother,  will  supersede  the  necessity  of  any  other, 
and  always  operate  with  satisfactory  success. 

Whether  your  inspiration  be  much   or  little,  my 

brother,  do  not  preach  long  sermons.     From  thirty 

to  fifty  minutes  is  long  enough  for  a  sermon,  unless 

the  occasion  is  much  more  than  ordinary.     That  is 

the  rule — this  the  exception.     Many  a  suit  at  law  has 

been   lost  because  the  advocate  covered   too   much 
34 


402  THE    MODEL    PREACHER. 

ground,  introduced  too  much  testimony,  and  made  too 
long  a  speech  to  the  jury.  All  he  needs  are  a  few 
clear,  apposite  points,  well  sustained  by  unquestion- 
able evidence,  summed  up  with  such  brevity  and  force 
as  to  carry  the  judgment  of  the  court,  interspersed 
with  surprise  power  enough  to  wake  up  a  lively  inter- 
est, and  arouse  the  sympathies  of  judge  and  jury. 

It  is  said  of  Sir  John  Scarlett,  a  celebrated  English 
barrister,  that  he  never  occupied  more  than  from 
twenty-five  to  thirty  minutes  in  addressing  a  jury,  for 
the  reason  that  all  the  time  he  could  subsequently 
occupy  would  only  force  out  of  the  heads  of  the  jury 
what  he  had  put  in  during  the  first  twenty-five 
minutes. 

Often,  when  a  preacher  has  driven  a  nail  in  a  sure 
place,  instead  of  clinching  it,  and  securing  well  the 
advantage  he  has  gained,  he  hammers  away  till  he 
breaks  the  head  off  or  splits  the  board,  or,  in  other 
words,  diverts  attention  from  the  effective  point  al- 
ready made,  to  what  he  has  yet  to  say,  but  fails  to 
drive  another  such  nail  that  day. 

Never  introduce  yourself  to  an  audience  by  a 
string  of  apologies ;  they  are  poor  things,  and  never 
converted  any  sinners.  Never  preface  your  sermon 
with  an  introduction  merely  for  the  sake  of  having 
one.  I  once  knew  a  preacher  that  generally  intro- 
duced all  his  sermons  with  the  same  exordium.  If 
you  find  an  introduction  necessary,  use  it ;  but  if  you 
can  strike  the  key-note  of  your  subject  in  your  first 
sentence,   all   the    better.     In    your   expositions   of 


MISCELLANEOUS    SUGGESTIONS.        403 

Scripture,  try  to  find  out  the  meaning  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  convey  the  Spirit's  ideas  and  your  own  in 
the  fewest  words  consistent  with  clearness,  and  in  the 
most  simple,  literal  words  suited  to  the  subject. 
Never  use  words  simply  for  the  sake  of  sound,  or  to 
fill  up  your  sentences.  Words  are  designed  as  the 
vehicles  of  ideas,  and  not  substitutes  for  them. 

Learn  all  you  can  from  books,  but  select  your 
preaching  matter  mainly  from  God's  books  of  inspired 
truth,  of  nature,  and  of  providence.  Many  men  spend 
nearly  all  their  time  in  their  studies,  plodding  along 
in  the  path  of  other  thinkers,  stuffing  memory  with 
their  thoughts,  till  they  take  intellectual  dyspepsia; 
whereas,  if  they  would  just  go  out  into  God's  fields 
of  original  truth,  they  could  dig  up  the  virgin  gold 
from  the  mine  with  greater  success  than  many  of  the 
men  they  read  after ;  and  then  it  would  be  fresh  and 
original,  and  all  their  own,  and  the  exercise,  develop- 
ing equally  all  their  powers,  mental  and  moral, 
would  be  most  healthful  and  invigorating.  The 
knowledge  thus  gained  is  much  more  available  and 
effective. 


^HE     END 


THE  MODEL   PREACHER. 


TTr£:iL<VJE:    THLOTJSA.IVI^    I»TJBXiISHE:i>. 


TESTIMONY   OF  THE   PRESS. 

The  "Model  Prcaclier"  consists  of  a  series  of  letters  illustrating  the  best 
modes  of  jireaching  the  Gospel,  by  Rev.  William  Taylor.  Mr.  Taylor  is  well 
known  by  his  useful  and  extraordinary  laV)ors,  and  by  several  popular  books. 
This  volume. is  a  good  specimen  of  the  man — it  is  full  of  direct,  practical 
thought,  strong  cu:nuion-seuse,  and  ardent,  pious  sentiment. — Christian  Advo- 
cate and  Journal. 

The  author  mingles  much  of  his  own  experience  in  sermonizing,  which  ha8 
certainly  been  varied  and  successtul.  He  brings  also  anecdote  and  illustration, 
of  which  his  fund  seems  inexhaustible — not  merely  to  enliven  his  work,  but  to 
make  it  trenchant.  We  think  no  young  preacher  can  read  it  without  receiv- 
ing practical  hints  of  great  value  to  him. — Ladies'  Bepository. 

D.  D.  Whedon,  D.  D.,  says,  in  the  Methodist  Quarterly  Beview,  "Mr.  Taylor's 
images,  pictures,  reflections,  and  suggestions  are  not  the  distillation  of  second- 
hand ideas  through  other  men's  books,  but  are  freshly  taken  from  nature  and 
real  life.  Few  of  his  jjrecepts  for  composition  and  sermonizing  are  found  in 
Blair  or  Claude.  He  has  chapters  on  Arresting  Attention,  Surprises,  Surprise 
Power,  Surprise  Appropriate  to  the  Pulpit,  well  worth  study  and  practical 
adoption  by  our  pulpit  routiners.     We  give  the  work  a  hearty  commendation." 

Father  Tobias  Spicer,  D.  D.,  says,  "The  first  chapter  alone  is  worth  to  any 
young  preacher  the  cost  of  the  book." 

Professor  William  Hunter,  D.  D.,  says,  "  This  book  develops  the  author's 
theory  and  ideas  concerning  preaching.  As  such  it  is  highly  interesting;  for 
it  is  well  known  that  brother  Taylor  is  eminently  successful  as  a  preacher. 
The  aim  of  the  author  is  to  present  to  his  readers  a  picture  of  our  Savior  him- 
self as  a  preacher.  The  Savior  is  Taylor's  'Model  Preacher.'  I  wish  to  say, 
moreover,  that  although  the  book  is  addressed  to  a  preacher,  and  on  the  sub- 
ject of  preaching,  yet  its  treatment  is  such  that  almost  any  religious  person 
will  le  deeply  interested  in  perusing  it.  There  is  a  charm  about  it,  like  the 
author's  preaching— a  freshness,  a  raciness,  an  abundance  of  apt  illustration, 
that  captivates  the  ordinary  reader,  and  leads  him  on  from  chapter  to  chapter 
to  the  end  of  the  book." 


SEVEN  YEARS' 
STREET  PREACIIINCt  IN  SM  FRANCISCO, 

EMBRACING 

Incidents  and  Triumphant  Deatli  Scenes. 


2'7-,000     JF»  "CJ  I^  Ij  X  s  n : 


Testimony  of  the  Press. 

Among  the  first  of  our  noble  army  of  occupation  in  California  was  the  Rev. 
William  Taylor.  In  labors  he  has  been  more  abundant,  and  as  fearless  as 
laborious.  His  book,  as  a  book  of  mere  incident  and  adventure,  possesses 
uncommon  interest;  but  as  a  record  of  missionary  toil  and  success  its  interest 
is  immensely  increased.  The  sketches  of  personal  character  and  death-bed 
ecenes  are  thrilling. — Ladies'  lieposilory. 

The  observation  and  experience  recorded  abounds  with  the  most  pleasing 
interest,  and  the  scenes  are  described  with  much  graphic  power  and  felicity. — 
Baltimore  Smi. 

As  a  religious  history,  it  occupies  a  new  department  in  Californian  litera- 
ture; and  its  incidents  and  triumphant  death  scenes  are  of  the  most  interest- 
ing character. — American  Spectator. 

It  is  a  very  entertaining  volume,  full  of  adventure,  grave  and  gay,  in  the 
streets  of  a  new  city,  and  among  a  psculiar  people. — New  York  Observer. 

The  London  Review,  for  April,  1858,  devotes  nearly  four  pages  to  "Seven 
Years^  Street  Preacldng  in  San  Francisco,^'  from  which  the  following  is  an 
extract:  "  The  appearance  of  Mr.  Taylor's  work  on  Street  Preaching,  at  a  time 
when  so  much  attention  is  turned  to  this  subject,  when  parochial  clergj'men, 
and  even  bishops,  have  caught  the  mantle  of  Whitefield  and  the  Wesleys,  ia 
singularly  opportune.  And  the  book  itself  so  thoroughly  good,  so  deeply  inter- 
esting, and  so  rejjlote  with  wise  counsels  and  examples  of  what  street  preach- 
ing ought  to  be,  that  we  can  not  but  wish  fur  it  a  wide  circulation.  The  writer 
teils  his  story  with  the  simplicity  and  directness  of  a  child,  and  the  incidents 
related  are  of  a  most  unusual  and  romantic  kind.  Too  much  can  not  be  said  In 
praise  of  the  nervous,  plain,  vigorous  style  of  the  author's  preaching.  Foi 
clearness,  directness,  and  force,  the  specimens  given  in  this  book  have  never 
been  surpassed." 

This  is  a  graphic  description  of  the  labors  of  a  missionary  among  the  most 
complex,  and  perhaps  most  wicked,  and  at  the  same  time  excited  and  active 
population  in  the  world.  It  is  a  very  rich  book,  and  deserves  a  large  sale. — 
Zion's  Herald. 

We  like  the  spirit  and  daring  of  the  author  of  this  book.  But  few  like  him 
live  among  men.  With  an  undoubted  piety,  and  courage  like  a  lion,  he 
preached  Christ  at  a  time,  in  San  Francisco,  when  Satan  reigned  about  as  tri- 
umphant as  he  ever  has  on  any  other  spot  of  the  cursed  earth.  The  book  will 
be  read,  and  it  will  do  good  wherever  it  is  read. — Buffalo  Christian  Advocate. 

This  book  is  a  real  contribution  to  the  religious  history  of  that  country. 
For  raciness  of  style,  it  is  one  of  the  most  readable  books  that  has  fallen  into 
our  hands. — Pittsburg  Christian  Advocate. 

The  state  of  society  which  Mr.  Taylor  describes  is  altrost  anomalous,  and 
his  pictures  are  boldly  and  clearly  drawn. — New  York  Evening  Post. 


CALIFORNIA  LIFE  ILLUSTRATED. 

Tweiit}-Foiir  Tlionr-aisd  PublislipJ. 


TESTjMONY   OF  THE   PRESS. 

Mr.  Taylor,  as  our  rc-aders  may  see  by  consulting  onr  Synopsis  of  the  Qnar* 
tfi'lif.s,  is  acceptcrl  on  both  siilcg  uf  the  Atlantic,  as  well  as  on  the  shores  of  th« 
Pacific,  as  a  rep:ular  "pioneer."  The  readers  of  his  former  work  will  find  th» 
interest  aroused  by  its  jjagcs  amply  sustained  in  this.  Its  pictorial  illustrations 
aid  in  bringing  California  before  us. — llethodist  Quarterly  Review. 

Full  of  interesting  and  instructive  information,  abounding  in  striking  inci- 
dent, tliis  is  a  book  that  every  body  will  be  interested  in  reading.  Indeed, 
Bcarcely  any  thing  can  bo  found  that  will  give  a  more  picturesque  and  sti-iking 
view  of  life  in  Califiunia. — New  YorJc  Observer. 

Mr.  Taylor  has  recently  published  a  work  entitled  California  Life  Illustrated, 
which  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  books  we  ever  read — full  of  stirring  inci- 
dent. Those  who  wish  to  see  California  life,  without  going  thither,  can  get  a 
better  idea,  especially  of  its  religious  aspects,  from  this  and  the  former  book  of 
Mr.  Taylor  on  the  subject,  than  from  any  other  source  conveniently  accessible. — 
Editor  of  Christian  Advocate  and  Journal,  New  York. 

The  author  of  this  volume  is  favorably  known  to  many  readers  by  his  pre- 
vious work,  in  wliich  he  relates  the  experience  of  seven  years'  street  preaching 
in  San  Francisco.  He  here  continues  the  inartificial,  but  graphic,  sketches 
which  compose  the  substance  of  this  volume,  and,  by  his  simjile  narratives, 
gives  a  lively  illustration  of  the  social  condition  of  California.  During  his 
residence  in  that  state,  he  was  devoted  exclusively  to  his  work  as  a  missionary 
of  the  Methodist  Church,  and,  by  his  fearlessness,  zeal,  and  self-denial,  won 
the  confidence  of  the  whole  population.  He  was  frequently  thrown  in  contact 
witli  gamblers,  chevaliers  d'  industrie,  and  adventurers  of  every  description,  but 
he  never  shrunk  from  the  administration  of  faithful  rebuke,  and,  in  so  doing, 
often  won  the  hearts  of  the  most  abandoned.  His  visits  to  the  sick  in  the  hos- 
pitals were  productive  of  great  good.  Unwearied  in  his  exertions,  he  had  suc- 
ceeded in  establishing  a  system  of  wholesome  religious  influences,  when  the 
great  financial  crash  in  San  Francisco  interrupted  his  labors,  and  made  it  ex- 
pedient for  him  to  return  to  this  region  in  order  to  obtain  resources  for  future 
action.  His  book  was,  accordingly,  written  in  the  interests  of  a  good  cause, 
which  will  commend  it  to  the  friends  of  religious  culture  in  California,  while 
its  own  intrinsic  vivacity  and  naturalness  will  well  reward  the  general  reader 
for  its  perusal. — Harper's  New  Monthly  Blagar.ine. 

Mr.  Taylor  is  a  live  vian,  and  has  produced  a  live  book.  This  is  undoubt- 
edly the  best  delineation  of  California  life,  as  it  was,  extant.  Scenes  of  thrill- 
ing excitement,  of  touching  tenderness,  of  noble  heroism,  and  of  dark  crime — 
not  concocted  in  the  brain  of  the  novelist,  but  enacted  in  real  life — are  here  de- 
picted. No  person  can  claim  to  know  what  California  was  till  he  has  read 
this  volume. — Ladiea'  liejmsitory. 

It  is  a  series  of  sketches,  abounding  in  interesting  and  touching  incidents 
of  missionary  life,  dating  with  the  early  hi.story  of  the  country,  and  the  great 
gold  excitement  of  1849,  and  up,  f(;r  several  years,  illustrating,  as  with  the 
pencil  of  a  master  in  his  art,  the  early  phases  of  civil  and  social  life,  as  thej- 
presented  themselves,  struggling  for  lieing  and  influence  amid  the  conflicting 
elements  of  gold  n;ania,  fostered  by  licentiousness,  and  unchecked  hy  the  sacred 
influence  of  religion,  familj',  and  home.  Containing  a  striking  demonstra- 
tion of  the  refining,  [.urifying  tendencies  of  female  influence,  rendered  sancti- 
fying, when  pervaded  by  religion,  giving  such  an  insight  into  the  secret  work- 
ings of  the  human  heart  and  mind,  as  will  be  in  vain  sought  for  in  the  books 
called  mental  and  moral  jihilosophy,  withdrawing  the  vail  which  ordinarily 
screens  the  emotions  of  the  sotiI,  leaving  the  patient  student  a  calm  look  at  the 
very  life  pulsations  of  humanity,  and  grow  wise.  Statistically  the  work  is  of 
great  value  to  those  seeking  information  concerning  the  country,  with  a  view 
to  investment  or  settlement. — Trxax  Advucute. 


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